Strange Magic
by blue3ski
Summary: Draco is a new member of the Order. To his dismay, his first assignment involves protecting Potter. Worse, he'll be working with Hermione. What will come of this hilariously uneasy partnership? No slash,btw. DracoHermione
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This will only be said once throughout this entire story. All the characters and the wizarding world are J.K.'s.

Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy glanced uncomfortably around his surroundings.

_This place could use some decoration,_ he thought as he took in the grimy walls. _Why Sirius Black never moved out of this festering hellhole is beyond me._

Of course, Draco's brain was only throwing up these basically useless rfacts to take his mind off the fifty or so eyes fixed upon him.

He had recently joined Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, shortly after his father, Lucius, had been incarcerated. This was his first time at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and the first time, he would officially meet the other members of the Order.

Dumbledore cleared the awkward silence. "As all of you can plainly see, our new ally in the fight against Voldemort is Mr. Malfoy."

Silence. And a few flinches.

"I was pleased when Mr. Malfoy approached me shortly before the last school year ended to inform me of his desire to join our side."

More silence.

"Will someone say something?" Dumbledore finally cried in exasperation.

Silence again.

Then a woman with short, flyaway, apple-green hair spoke. "How do you know he's not just a spy for his father, Dumbledore? How do you know he won't stab us in the back?"

"I know his intentions, Tonks. And he means well," Dumbledore replied.

"I don't get it," Draco heard Ron Weasley whisper to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. "Has Dumbledore gone daft? _He's_ a _Malfoy_, for heaven's sake! I'm telling you, he'll betray us!"

Draco struggled to bite back the pithy comeback he longed to throw at Ron.

"I assure you all, Draco is very much with us," Dumbledore continued. "His skills as a wizard will be definitely useful. And it will be good for Severus to have a little help."

The apparent disagreement still hung in the air, but no one spoke against Dumbledore.

Finally, Remus Lupin, clapped a hand onto Draco's shoulder. "Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Draco."

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco prepared to Apparate home. While he was a member of the Order, he did not live at the Blacks' old house as the others did, but still went home to his mother. He knew that Narcissa Malfoy now needed him more than ever, after her husband's imprisonment, and as a son, it was his duty to comfort her.

However, Harry and his posse stopped Draco.

"If you really turned to our side before term ended, then why still attack Harry on the train?" Ron demanded.

Draco sighed. "Weasley, you are so completely witless, I have no idea why you're still here. To keep up _appearances_, of course. I was with those two dumbbells Crabbe and Goyle. They may have IQ's less than fifty, but I think they'd notice something odd afoot if I suddenly started being nice to you. Not that I would actually want to." He looked down his nose at the redhead.

Harry and Hermione quickly grabbed Ron's arms before he could launch himself at Draco.

"Calm down, Ron! He's not worth it," Harry ordered. As he and Hermione dragged Ron away though, Harry shot Draco a very formidable glare.

xxxxxxxxxx

"I don't trust him," Harry said to his friends after Draco left.

"I'd trust _Aragog_ more than that snake!" Ron exploded.

"Dumbledore has some very weird ideas, but this is by far the worst! How could he even think that Malfoy will lift a finger to help us? He'd sooner sell us out to—to—" Hermione stopped and shook her head as she paced around the room she shared with Ginny Weasley.

"Well, you guys do have to remember that Dumbledore never does anything without a real good reason. I think trusting him is the best thing to do. Besides, hey, who knows? Maybe Malfoy's not as bad as he's led us to think," Ginny offered.

"Gin, sometimes you are way too soft for your own good. This is _Malfoy_ we're talking about! Malfoy knows nothing about being remotely decent!" Ron retorted hotly.

"People can change!" Ginny argued.

"Time out, Ron, Ginny," Harry sighed. "We get the point."

They were interrupted by Mrs. Weasley suddenly throwing the door open.

"I thought I said BED!" she cried. "Harry, Ron—to your room THIS INSTANT!"

"G'night Ginny, Hermione," Harry managed quickly before Mrs. Weasley slammed the door shut behind them.

"Do you really believe what you said? Do you really think Malfoy can change?" Hermione asked as the two girls got ready for bed. "You do remember what he's done to us over the past five years, don't you?"

"I'm saying we should give him a chance to prove himself. After all, he's already risking a lot to be here, you know," Ginny replied.

"Not if he's been sent to spy on us."

"I trust Dumbledore. If he deems Malfoy to be all right, then he is."

"I think Dumbledore's been hoodwinked," Hermione muttered.

Ginny decided to change the subject. "So, has Viktor written you lately?"

"Oh. Didn't I tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That we've broken up."

"No! Crikey, what happened?"

"It was a classic case of being too far apart and seeing far too little of each other."

"Did he cheat on you?"

"Oh no, nothing like that at all. It was a mutual decision we made together to just let go."

"Oh…well I _did_ always think he was too old for you."

"He kind of was, wasn't he?" The girls giggled.

"Be careful, Hermione." Ginny smirked. "When word gets out that you're free, you'll have to beat the boys off with a stick."

"You _really_ like to dream, don't you?"

AN: I hope you guys like it! The funnies will start coming next chapter…

God Bless! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Draco was back at Grimmauld Place the next morning. Hermione saw him as she came down to help Mrs. Weasley with the cleaning, and she knew her day was ruined.

She was not disappointed.

"Hey Granger," he called as she scrubbed the inside of a musty cabinet, "I think I see a rat in there. It's just a lit-tle way from your hand."

He cackled when she jumped—and hit her head on the ceiling of the cabinet. Dust and cobwebs rained down on her.

"Becoming a ferret not good enough for you, Malfoy?" Hermione snarled as she reached for her wand. "Would you like to turn into a rat too?"

Draco smirked—then he yelped and leapt behind a couch when she actually shot a blast of something at him.

The spell missed Draco, but it hit someone else entirely.

Fred Weasley had been coming over with an extra bottle of cleaning potion for Hermione when a jet of orange light struck him square on the chest.

The next thing the Weasley twin knew, he was squeaking up at the pale, pointed face of Draco Malfoy.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Nice job, Granger," Draco drawled as he peered with interest at a fully-rat-ified Fred. "Have you been studying in advance?"

Hermione gulped as she lowered her wand. She hadn't been expecting the jinx to actually _work!_ She had never even practiced it, only read about it.

"Have fun figuring that one out." Draco laughed as he started to stroll out of the room.

"Get back here, Malfoy!" Hermione spat.

"Sorry. Won't be of any help in the matter."

"Oh? I seem to remember a bleach-blonde ferret bragging about how darn good he was at magic!"

Draco gritted his teeth and prepared to launch his comeback.

Just then, Mrs. Weasley came in to look for her son, followed by Lupin.

"Fred?" she called. Then she noticed the huge red-furred rat at her feet and jumped. "Eeek! Get that thing away from me!"

Lupin leapt forward, wand at the ready.

"I would advise you to put that away, Professor," Draco remarked. "We wouldn't want to injure your son, wouldn't we, Mrs. Weasley?"

Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "What happened? Who attacked him?"

The pale blond Slytherin struggled to hold in his laughter.

Hermione swallowed. "Erm, me."

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"It was done unintentionally," hErmione was explaining as Professor Lupin turned Fred back to human. "Malfoy was provoking me, and well, he ducked, so the spell got Fred instead."

Fred looked a little woozy when he finally returned to his original form. "Who do dat?" Then his eyes fell on Draco, and he found his brain instantly. "You slimy, worthless…"

"Why look at me, Weasley?" Draco asked very calmly as he inspected his fingernails. "_I'm_ not the one who just turned you into a rodent." He pointed to the bushy-haired Gryffindor.

"Hermione?" Fred exclaimed in shock. "Why?"

"I'm sorry, Fred!" she apologized. "I was aiming for Malfoy!"

"What's going on?" George Weasley called out as he swaggered into the room. "Whoa—yeow!"

With a loud crash, he landed on the floor.

"Alright, which one of you left the cleaning potion on the floor?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"You aren't pulling our legs, are you?" Harry gasped.

Ron was laughing his head off as he imagined his older brother as a rat. "Hey, why'd you turn him back? He'd make an excellent replacement for Scabbers!"

Hermione gave him an exasperated look. "I don't know, Ron. Maybe because your mother would have something to say about that?"

The three of them were having lunch outside the house. Realizing that having Draco and the Golden Trio at the same table would cause something ugly, the other Order members had made absolutely sure the four of them were far apart.

Fred and George approached them, plates of food in hand. Hermione started to look wary.

"Hullo!" George called.

"May we join you?" his twin continued as he sat down beside Hermione.

"Um…alright," Hermione replied slowly.

"I could seriously hate you for what you did, Hermione dear, but I've decided to forgive and forget," Fred stated. He pulled out a chocolate. "Peace?"

Hermione edged away. "Peace."

Fred shook his head. "Relax, 'Mione. This is a peace offering. It's just a chocolate, I promise."

"Um…"

"Come on," he coaxed.

Finally, Hermione took it. Very hesitantly, she put it in her mouth.

And chewed.

And chewed.

Relief flooded through Hermione. It was just a chocolate!

Then her eyes flew open. Her temperature rose as fire seared her tongue. Sweat poured down her face. She grabbed her mug of butterbeer and downed it.

George tsk-tsked. "Wrong move."

Harry and Ron watched, wide-eyed, as their best friend jumped up and ran around, fanning her burning mouth.

The twins burst out laughing. "How'd you like our new Scorching Sweets?"

"Wicked," Ron mused. "It'd be great to throw some of those down Malfoy's throat."

"Actually…" George began.

"We did," Fred finished. "And he should be paying us a little visit right about…now."

As if on cue, Draco came running out, red-faced and fanning his burning mouth.

XXXXX

AN: THANKS BE TO GOD!

To my dear reviewers:

**Dk Lili**- Nice to see you! :) I'm glad you liked my portrayal of Draco. It really took me a long time to get the character right. I think it's an author's greatest challenge—to keep Draco nasty while making him good.

**AraelMoonchild- **Thanks! I hope I don't disappoint you! :)

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar- **Nice to see you again! :) I'm glad you think it's interesting, and yes, it's a Draco/Hermione.

**Alcapacien- **Hi again! :) I patterned the conversation after how I usually talk with my best friend, and I'm glad you thought it was funny. I'm also happy that you think it's really good. :)

**American-born-confused-desi- **Thanks!I'm glad you thought it was very original! :)

**Crimson Girl- **Nice to see you! And thanks :)

**Avadne- **Thanks! :) And don't worry, I won't make him go nice for no reason


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hermione glared disapprovingly at Ron and Harry as she sipped her tenth mug of pumpkin juice, the only known remedy to the effects of the Scorching Sweets. The two boys presently had a huge stack of the stuff before them, the potent candies disguised as peppermints, toffees, chocolates, lollipops, and even gummies. Wincing, Hermione swore never to accept so much as a treacle tart from anyone ever again.

"Hey 'Mione!" Ron called. "Take some. Millicent Bulstrode could use a few doses."

"And you could toss her a butterbeer while you're at it," Harry added, grinning.

Hermione's scowl deepened. Gulping the butterbeer was the worst thing she could possibly have done. Butterbeer was designed to warm the body, and it had only fueled theheat of the Scorching Sweet more. After realizing how impressive were its effects, however, Harry and Ron had each bought a dozen (Harry paid for part of Ron's half) to feed to the Slytherins and any annoying teacher to come their way.

"Harry, if you feed any of those sweets to anyone, I will confiscate them!"

"Oh come on, Hermione. I deserve to live a little." Harry put a wounded expression on his face (something he was terribly good at).

"Ronald, for heaven's sake, you're a prefect! Show a little restraint and responsibility, would you? You could be very well removed from the post the way you're going!" Hermione turned to Ron.

"Oh golly gee, 'Mione, that _really_ scares me." Ron stretched his arms out to the sides. "Don't worry, I'll only use these on the Slytherins if they're being total gits—which is pretty much all the time." He winked at Harry.

Ginny entered the room. "Oh, candy! Can I have one?" Her hand stretched out towards a toffee.

Harry caught Ginny's wrist. "I think best not, Gin."

"He's not wrong," Hermione muttered. "They're your brothers' latest products."

"Would you like some? To feed to—you know, anyone you like." Harry offered.

"What do they do?" Ginny's eyes glinted with interest as she picked up a lollipop. "Engulf the eater in flames or something?"

"No, it just burns the eater's tongue and makes the eater feel like she's just landed in the earth's core," Hermione replied, her tone still clipped.

"Hermione and Malfoy were Fred and George's test subjects," Ron added, sniggering.

"Ooh. How red did they turn?" Ginny asked.

"Let's just say that it was the first time I realized Malfoy had blood flowing in his veins."

Ginny rose. "Where're those two?"

"Here, you can have some of mine." Harry pushed some of the sweets into Ginny's hand. "Besides, you won't find them now."

"They're hiding," Ron explained. "After all, they _did_ choose to feed the candy to people who could turn them into rats and all."

xxxxxxxxxx

For the first time, Mrs. Weasley liked one of the twins' inventions. After they came out of hiding, the twins decided to try their new creation on the gnomes.

The gnomes ran like the wind…away from Grimmauld Place.

Mrs. Weasley, upon finding out what happened, crushed her two sons to her chest so tightly they could scarcely breathe.

"They finally got those gnomes to leave! Oh, I'm so proud!"

Lupin and Bill Weasley, who'd been looking over some parchment, grinned at each other.

xxxxxxxxx

Dumbledore and the other Order members returned to Grimmauld Place that evening. After congratulating Fred and George on a job well done, he informed everyone that there was to be an important meeting. Everyone, that is, except for Harry.

"Miss Weasley, I need you to distract Harry while this meeting is ongoing," Dumbledore told Ginny, the only other person who was not going to be present there. "He cannot notice that we are holding it, alright?"

Ginny nodded vigorously. She wasn't worried. Hermione always filled her in anyway.

Immediately after dinner, Ginny cornered Harry and asked him if he would be so kind as to review some of the jinxes they'd learned last term in the D.A.

Harry gave her an odd look. "You don't need reviewing. You're very good, Gin. You do them all perfectly."

Ginny thought quickly. "I think I've forgotten how some of them go." She widened her eyes. "Please?"

Finally Harry relented. "Okay."

As soon as the Order members heard an upstairs door shut, they sprung into action. Chairs were pulled into place. Draco (whose mouth had sufficiently cooled down after about fifty swigs of pumpkin juice) seated himself a respectable distance from Hermione and the Weasleys.

The chatter died down as Dumbledore spoke.

"It is as we feared. Voldemort's influence is spreading most rapidly now."

Everyone did not look surprised, just grim and resigned.

"There is little or no doubt at all that Voldemort will have informants from inside the school. And as we had seen two years ago, I cannot necessarily tell who is working for him and who is not," Dumbledore intoned gravely. "Harry is no longer safe in Hogwarts."

"He hasn't been for the past five years, if the many times he's been in the hospital wing is any indication," Fred muttered.

"It's not like it was before," Lupin explained. "Believe me, Voldemort will show no mercy this time."

"What do we do?" Tonks, whose hair was long, sky-blue, and wavy and whose face had whiskers and a catlike nose, asked.

"My plan is to have someone follow him around and protect him."

Draco snorted as he imagined Harry with a couple of Crabbe-and-Goyle-lookalikes behind him.

"Harry won't have it, Albus," Mr. Weasley countered. "Having to drag a bodyguard around—the students will talk."

"I did think of that. Which is why we have to do it in a way that is absolutely inconspicuous. A way that involves using Hogwarts students." Dumbledore looked directly at Draco. "Congratulations; you have yourself your first job, Mr. Malfoy."

The entire room was struck dumb.

XXXXX

A/N: GLORY BE TO GOD!

And of course, to my reviewers:

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar**- Thanks! I'm glad you guys liked the new product… :)

**American-born-confused-desi**- Thanks! :)

**AAandACFOREVER**- Thanks! :) And well, while Hermione had the best intentions (haha) she _did_ still curse Fred, and we can't expect him to take that lying down. Especially when it gives him an excuse to try out the Scorching Sweet on her…

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks! :)

**T.A.F.FYRox92287**- Thanks! :) I'm very sorry I ruined chocolate for you, though. Weirdly enough, I'd like the sweets since I've always liked dipping my chocolates in hot sauce…but that's just me, I guess. I'm a real fan of spice…

**La Suede**- Thanks! :)

**DK Lili**- Thanks! :) And yes, Draco should still have an attitude going no matter whose side he's on. If not, for me he's either unbalanced or weak.

**Alcapacien**- Thanks! :)

**Gryffxchick**- Thanks! :)

**KenKao4eva**- Thanks! :) Btw, I love Rurouni Kenshin too…

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks! :) And as for what color Fred was, he's not exactly bright red, his fur is just the color of his hair.

**Snaped**- Thanks! :)

**Flavagurl**- Thanks! :)

**Jynxie Queen**- Thanks! :) Yeah, I know that the Draco/Hermione pairing will never happen (J.K.'s said so herself) but hey, I can always dream. Yes, the romance will be happening gradually; there'll still be a lot of hexing and fighting and insulting before they're ready to start a family. And yes, the question of why Draco turned to the light is something that will be tackled later in the story. :)

**Avadne**- Thanks! :) And yeah, Hermione _was _darn easy to fool there…


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: In this story, Harry's already revealed what Dumbledore told him about the prophecy.

Chapter 4

Harry and Ginny were in an upstairs bedroom, talking. Their "lesson" had finished in about two-point-five seconds when Ginny had succeeded in performing each and every jinx instantly. Having nothing else to really do, Harry ended up swapping stories with Ginny; her about growing up with six brothers, and him about growing up with a pig in a wig. Harry found Ginny surprisingly easy to talk to. It was different from talking to Cho, with whom he'd had to watch every word that came out of his mouth, and Hermione, who could sometimes be such a know-it-all. Ginny knew when to comment and when to just listen. The topic had currently switched to some good times they'd had the year before.

"You remember that time when we were cleaning and Sirius—" Harry broke off, his face suddenly sad. Rising abruptly, he went to the window and stared out.

Ginny followed him. "You still miss him."

"I was stupid," Harry muttered, his green eyes starting to fill with traitorous tears. "Gullible. Voldemort was toying with me, and I lapped it all up."

"Harry—"

"I got Ron in danger. Hermione. You. Neville. Luna. The people in the Order. And I got the one person I considered family killed."

"HARRY!" Ginny finally got his attention. "I'm not going to tell you that it wasn't your fault—because it was. You acted far too impulsively. If you'd thought to open Sirius's present earlier, you would've been able to check on him through that mirror. And you could've put aside your hatred for Snape enough to trust him for five bloody seconds." Ginny met his eyes. "You were foolish."

Harry was surprised at Ginny's words. No one had ever told him he'd been absolutely witless that fateful night. At least no one but himself.

"But the point is, it's done. It's over. You may be the Boy-Who-Lived, but you don't have the power to change what's been set. Besides, with the bad, there was some good mixed in," Ginny stated quietly.

"What good?" Harry snapped bitterly as the memories of that horrible night surged up. He could see only death and destruction.

"You cleared your name, Harry. Fudge was forced to face reality. Also, you gained yourself a nice, fat advantage. You now know everything you have to know, while You-Know-Who is still as lost as The Poky Little Puppy. And you've made sure he stays lost, by having the prophecy smash. I'd say because of you, the scales have tipped dramatically in our favor." Ginny smiled.

"But—"

"If I know what you're going to ask, well, You-Know-Who was going to get his hands on that prophecy sooner or later. And you can bet that if he'd decided to wait just a little more, get powerful, and stroll into the Ministry to get it personally instead of luring you there, he'd've gotten it for certain, and the world as we know it will be done for."

Harry looked out the window again, but he found that he no longer felt so bad. He actually felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the dramatic way Ginny had finished her sentence.

"I don't know what it's like to lose my mum and dad, Harry. I don't know what it's like to lose my only kin. But I got to know Sirius pretty well last summer. And I know he'd be furious if he saw you all mopey now. He'd've wanted you to get over it, to keep your chin up. He'd've been proud of you for turning a bad situation into something good, and for revealing his innocence."

"Oh yeah, I didn't think of that," Harry admitted. The smile finally fought its way to his face. "Thanks, Ginny. I feel better."

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The entire room was struck dumb.

"Me?" Draco squeaked in a high-pitched voice very unlike his own.

"Him?!" Ron and Hermione cried.

"You're joking!" the twins chorused.

"Precisely," Dumbledore answered, his blue eyes twinkling.

"_I_ have to follow _Potter_ around?" Draco's voice was getting progressively higher.

"Lower your pitch, boy," Alastor Moody growled. "You're going to break a window."

"Yes, you. Now, since you _are_ still just a student, I thought that you might need a little bit of help. So you'll be working with Miss Granger," Dumbledore continued.

Two bodies fell out of their chairs and onto the floor.

"Smelling salts! Somebody get smelling salts!"

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Harry and Ginny came down to pandemonium. Order members were running around, smelling salts and perfumes in hand.

"What's going on?" Ginny wondered aloud.

After a few moments, a woozy Hermione, supported by Ron, emerged from a room, followed by an equally woozy Draco, supported (grudgingly) by Fred and George.

"What happened?" Harry rushed to his best friend's side.

"Er…Hermione was…a little…warm and she passed out," Ron stammered.

Harry trained a baleful eye on Draco. "What'd he do to her?"

"For once, nothing," Fred supplied. "Ferret Boy here tripped over a rag, hit the door, and was knocked out cold."

"What were you people doing down here?" Harry asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Doing a little sprucing up," Bill passed them by, a perfumy cloth in his hand.

Tonks began to take on Goyle's appearance. "I guess I'll have to take him home."

"You do that."

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Hermione's vision began to clear as she was floated onto her bed.

"What happened?" she asked shakily.

"You fainted, 'Mione," Ron said, his face creased with concern.

"Are you alright? Blimey, what happened?" Ginny cried.

Hermione recollections of the meeting returned.

"Ron, knock me out again, please."

XXXXX

A/N: PRAISE TO THE LORD GOD!

To my reviewers:

DanRadcliffe5666- Thanks! :)

Ehlonna- Thanks! :) And Draco will really have a very not easy time doing this assignment. Just how hard, you'll see. :)

Crimson Girl- Thanks! :) And you won't have to feel so sorry for Harry…Draco will not kill him, promise. :)

Delayed Action Ninja- Thanks! :) We-ell, as for the romance, you may have to wait a bit for the real big stuff, but I'll be dropping little "hints" occasionally. :)

AAandACFOREVER- Thanks! :)

The Black Pearl is Freedom- Thanks! :)

AraelMoonchild- Hey, I was fully thinking that! :) Thanks! :)

The fly on the wall- Thanks! :)

FoolishlyBraveDarkStar- Hogwarts will come soon…and that's where the real good stuff will happen. :) Thanks! :)

Avadne- I was banking on Harry's gentlemanliness to overrule his brain. :) Thanks! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL! :)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hermione and Draco both had sour looks on their faces as they received their instructions from Dumbledore the next morning.

"You are to keep Harry in sight at all times," Dumbledore told them. "Always be ready with a good defensive spell. The reason I have chosen you both for this is because of your skills in spellcasting, so do not fail me."

"Um, Professor? Harry has got classes that are different from ours," Hermione piped up.

"Please. I'm sure Potty-boy can survive one class on his own," Draco replied scathingly.

Hermione clenched her fists.

"Enough, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger." Dumbledore looked bored. "Regarding that matter, however, Mr. Weasley will be helping to keep an eye on Harry. Besides, well, Mr. Malfoy is not wrong. I'm quite certain Harry will be all right."

"Don't worry, Granger. The little lap dog will keep him safe for you," Draco muttered.

"But the moment he steps out of his classroom, the mission is to resume," Dumbledore continued, speaking over Draco. "I have spoken to Professor Vector. You will be dismissed fifteen minutes earlier from class so that you may get ready and/or discuss ideas and strategies." The great wizard rose from his chair. "That's it."

Hermione and Draco exited the small study, walking as far apart as possible but close enough that they could still talk.

"What's the plan?" Hermione asked in a very clipped tone.

"Why ask me? I thought thinking was _your_ forte." Draco's voice was equally glacial.

Hermione struggled to bite back the diatribe she longed to hurl at him.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Draco smoothed his pale blond hair, clearly relishing his victory.

In a flash, Hermione's wand was at his throat. Draco twitched slightly, but willed himself to keep his cool. Instead, he regarded the Gryffindor with calm gray eyes.

"Always so physical. Can't you be a little more civilized?"

Hermione pressed the tip of the wand into his skin.

"Not all fights involve wand power, Granger," he continued, unruffled. "Ever heard of a _debate?_ Or are you not as brilliant as everyone thinks you are?"

"I simply do not want to scream swear words at you when Professor Dumbledore is within earshot," she retorted.

"From which cave did you come from? Who says you have to swear in a debate? We use _euphemisms_ for that."

Hermione was beaten. She lowered her wand slowly.

"That's good." Draco flicked imaginary lint off his robes. "Well, beating you was extremely satisfying. We ought to do that again." He sauntered off.

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Hermione was still reviewing the details of that "debate" in her head a half-hour later, wondering how she could've let Draco psych her out. Hermione could debate very well normally. But she had somehow lost her ability to think clearly then. She was infuriated—and baffled.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice broke into her thoughts.

"What?" Hermione jumped.

"You've been a real basket case these past few minutes," the lanky green-eyed boy informed her. "I've been calling you for—how many times, Ron?"

"Twenty-three," Ron supplied.

"I'm sorry, Harry—just been thinking about something else," Hermione explained.

"I can see that," Harry remarked. "Not about school, I hope."

"What have you been doing?" Hermione asked, trying to get back into the swing of things.

"We've been talking about Fred and George. They're busy inventing again—something Dumbledore commissioned them to make," Ron reported.

"Dumbledore _asked_ Fred and George to make a joke product? What's that got to do with the Order?"

"Loads, 'Mione. Dumbledore's been using Fred and George's stuff to spy on You-Know-Who's side."  
"You are joking."

"No, I'm not! Those Extendable Ears supposedly helped him find out about last ni—a lot of stuff."

Harry's eyebrows rose, indicating that he had heard Ron's slip.

But he decided not to say anything.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione read while Harry and Ron played chess. Her mind was finally at rest and relaxing. She smiled contently as she shifted position on her armchair and allowed herself to just sink into the Muggle novel she was perusing.

"Ha!" Ron yelled for the umpteenth time as he checkmated Harry.

"Not again!" Harry cried.

They started another game.

After five minutes, Ron glanced at the pieces on the chessboard. "I'll have you checkmated in three moves."

"How'd you know what moves I'm going to make?"

"You always make the same mistakes." Ron grinned wickedly. "I may have to start looking for some _real _competition."

"I'll take that challenge," drawled an all too familiar voice.

Hermione groaned.

Draco swaggered into the room, completely unconcerned by the three incinerating glares shot his way.

Harry reached for his wand.

"I'd advise you to put that away, Potter. Not doing anything wrong here, am I?"

Harry's fingers twitched, but he had to admit that Draco was right. Technically, Harry had no grounds to hex him.

Not that he would ever tell it to Ferret-Boy's face.

Draco folded his long, lean body into a chair. "Well? What do you say, Weasel?"

"I will beat your pantyhose off," Ron replied.

Draco gritted his teeth. Hermione and Harry grinned triumphantly at each other as Harry vacated his seat.

Draco dusted off the chair Harry had sat in before sinking into it.

Ron set up the pieces.

The match was on.

XXXXX

A/N: TO GOD BE GREAT THANKS FOR GIVING US THIS NEW YEAR OF HOPE!

To my reviewers:

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks! :)

**Alcapacien**- Thanks! :) It's not going to be the end of Harry's mourning over Sirius—he'll still have his sad moments—but you can bet he'll have his comfort. :)

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks! :) Won't disappoint you, I hope.

**Laughing Fountain**- Thanks! :) I can assure you that there will be more Harry/Ginny and Weasley products. :)

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar**- Thanks! :)

**Hihi**- Thanks! :)

**Flavagurl**- Oh, lucky you! I was only stuck at home—and with no Internet because our phone lines got knocked out and the DSL was wrecked. :( I certainly hope your head has been reattached! :D Thanks! :)

**SwTnDrEaMyPnAy03**- Thanks! :)

**Avadne**- Thanks! I was really surprised so many of you liked that knocking-out thing…I only made it up at the spur of the moment because I decided that the ending line of my first draft sucked. And yes, there will be quite a bit of Harry/Ginny. :)

**The fly on the wall**- Thanks! :)

**Ehlonna**- Thanks! :) I'm glad you liked how I portrayed Ginny—I wanted to show that she has become this mature, insightful person and it's time Harry saw that side of her. :) As for Draco and Hermione, well, the shock of knowing that you'll be spending pretty much every spare minute of your time with your worst enemy can be a really big shock… ;)

**LaxGoalie**- Thanks! :)

**Frolicfeather**- Thanks! :)

**Immaculate;Inanimate**- Thanks! :) I'm glad you liked it! :)

**Gopha-gurl**- Thanks! :) You may have to wait a bit for the fluff, but it will be delivered! :)

Hope you all had a great holiday! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

No one had ever seen a more intense chess match.

With bated breath, the entire Order waited for Ron to make his move.

"Check," Ron declared in a low voice.

"Don't start relishing your victory yet," Draco replied as he maneuvered his piece.

"Come on, Ron," Harry muttered.

"What's so interesting?" Bill, who had just arrived from work, asked as he strolled into the room.

"Ssh!" Ginny hissed. "Ron and Malfoy are playing chess."

"Check," Draco announced moments later.

"No!" Fred cried.

"Ha!" Ron crowed as he launched his counterattack.

"How long have they been at it?" Bill whispered to his little sister.

"Three or four hours," Ginny replied. "But who's counting?"

Ron bit his lip as he considered his options.

"Yes!"

Draco gritted his teeth as Ron moved his piece.

"Checkmate!" the Weasley cheered.

The room burst into tumultuous applause.

"Whew!" Ginny breathed.

"Way to go, Ron!" Bill called over the din.

Ron raised himself onto his chair and bowed. "Thank you, thank you!"

Draco appeared to be handling his loss quite well. He congratulated Ron (insulting him while at it), and excused himself from the festivities quite graciously.

_Must be part of his upbringing_, Hermione noted.

Later that evening, however, after the "victory dinner", Ron revealed something so beyond shocking, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny practically had coronaries and needed to sit down.

"Malfoy's good," Ron admitted as soon as the four of them were safely ensconced in the girls' room.

Three thumps were heard, of bodies landing on the floor, and sounds of hyperventilation were observed to be coming from them.

Harry, perhaps because he was more experienced with shocking discoveries than Hermione and Ginny, managed to recover first. "I think that win addled your brain, Ron."

Ginny was next. She rose unsteadily and felt her brother's forehead. "Are you delirious?"

"Malfoy must've put the Confudus Curse on him. Let me check—I know I've got the counter-curse somewhere in here…" Hermione shot up instantly and began rummaging in her bag.

"I know what I sound like, and I know I sound nutters. But he's a good opponent! I haven't met anyone yet who's come this close to beating me," Ron insisted.

"He must've cheated, that hideous, low-life worm. There's no way _anyone_ could've checked you. If even Professor McGonagall's chess set couldn't, how could a normal human have?" Hermione railed. "Oh, let's get that nasty creep…"

"Calm down, Hermione." Harry sighed. "The important thing is, Ron has won."

He and Ron stood to go back to their own room.

"Oh yeah," Hermione heard him mutter just before the door closed. "Just what we need—a good opponent."

xxxxxxxxxx

Other than the occasional odd look, the trip to King's Cross weeks later was fairly smooth. The Order members were particularly twitchy, though, as if a Death Eater would run out screaming "Yaaaahhhh!!!" any second now. Harry pointed this out to Ron.

"What's with them?"

Ron started studying the cuff of his robes.

Ginny shrugged.

Harry looked at Hermione and realized that there was no point in asking her—she was one of the twitchy ones.

His head swam with questions as he approached the barrier.

Suddenly, there was a loud "Oof!"

Harry whirled around.

The Order members beamed at him. A little too happily.

"Don't mind me," Lupin quipped. "I—er—tripped."

When Harry, after one last suspicious glance, disappeared through to Platform 9 3/4, the others breathed. They stepped off the wizard they'd been standing on.

"Thank goodness Harry never looked down," Lupin remarked. (A/N: The wizard was someone sent by Voldemort)

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco went off down the train aisle, feeling the need to extract himself from the company of his fellow Slytherins. He liked them well enough, but one could only take so much cackling and discussing of dastardly plots before one ached for a mallet to whack their heads with.

He narrowed his eyes as he spotted Hermione, Ron, and Harry loading their things into a compartment. He slowed to a crawl, however, as he neared that.

"I'll be going out to patrol the aisles," he heard Ron announce.

"And Ernie MacMillan wants to talk to me. Something about the D.A.." Harry rolled his emerald eyes. "Knowing Ernie, I'll be there for the entire train ride." He turned to Hermione. "Will you be all right until Ron comes back?"

"Don't worry—I'll be fine," she replied.

"You want to maybe go see Gin or Parvati and Lavender?"

"No, it's OK. Someone has to hold this compartment anyway. Besides, I have to catch up on some reading."

"You're _always_ catching up on some reading," Harry said, bemused. "I'll try to keep Ernie's treatise short so I can come back and keep you company, OK?"

"And I'll try to do the rounds more quickly," Ron promised.

Draco heard Hermione laugh as she sent off her boys. A nasty smile spread across his face.

The fun had begun.

XXXXX

A/N: MUCH THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HIS SUPPLICATIONS!

And to my reviewers:

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks! :) Hate to disappoint you, though, but the Hermione/Draco action won't be for a while. They still have to go through the hate stage…

**DanRadcliffe5666**- Thanks! :)

**Ehlonna**- Thanks! :) And well, some people are just really good at psyching others out…

**Avadne**- Thanks! :) I did think about letting Draco win the match, but my editor pointed out that it wouldn't be right…I forgot the exact explanation why, though.

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks! :)

**Alcapacien**- Thanks! :) Harry won't be sad for the next few chappies, though…

**LaxGoalie**- Thanks! :) And well, he's Draco. If he weren't so…swell-headed, he wouldn't be Draco. :)

**Flavagurl**- Thanks! :)

And to those who read my old fic Don't Go Breaking My Heart, you will be seeing a very familiar name in the next chapter…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Hello!"

Hermione, who was absorbed completely in her book, grunted.

"Hello?"

"Back so soon, Harry? What'd Ernie have to say?"

Draco, exasperated, yanked the thick volume from her grasp. "Hi, _'Mione."_

Her brown eyes darkened to black as soon as she saw him. "Give it back, Malfoy."

"Why must I?" Draco flipped lazily through the book. "This seems like a rather interesting read…ooh, did I just see the word wizard?"

"Give it here." There was a definite edge to the Muggleborn's voice now.

"What do you find so…attaching about these things anyway?" Draco turned the book over and over in his hands, a light smirk on his face. "They're not much, just some parchment stuck together with someone's scribbles in them…"

"Because they're very _INTERESTING_, Malfoy—not that a person of your mental capabilities can fathom that term."

Draco clapped his hands together in mock joy. "She speaks!"

"Well by golly, what did you think I was doing? Croaking?" Hermione snatched at her book.

Draco held it away, reacting to her attempted grab with lightning reflexes. He hadn't been made Slytherin Seeker just for his money.

"Mind if I borrow this, Granger?"

"Yes, I do mind!"

"Thanks." He leapt for the compartment door.

"_MALFOY!"_ Hermione screeched as he scurried out_. "THAT IS AN IRREPLACABLE, ONE-OF-A-KIND FIRST EDITION OF LORD OF THE RINGS! IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO IT, I WILL KILL YOU! HEAR ME? KILL YOU!!!!"_

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry practically tripped over himself getting to the door of Ernie's compartment when he heardthe shriek that was unmistakably Hermione. Ignoring Ernie, he stumbled out into the aisle and made a beeline for his best friend.

She was standing just outside the compartment he'd left her in, her face beet red and her eyes smoldering.

"What happened?" Harry cried

She took a few minutes to compose herself. "He took my book."

"Oh no. Not your very rare, one-of-a-kind Fellowship of the Ring?"

"Exactly."

"You want me to jinx him?" Harry brandished his wand. "Just tell me who to jinx and I'll jinx."

Hermione shook her head. "I'll deal with him myself. Thank you, Harry."

Harry smiled and ruffled her bushy brown hair. "No problem. I've been doing it for years anyway."

He and Hermione reentered the compartment.

"So what'd Ernie say?"

"Oh, I can't thank you enough for screaming at just the right moment. I was already dozing off from his speech on Impediment Jinxes…"

xxxxxxxxxx

They reached their destination a few short hours later. Ron rejoined his best friends and they snagged a carriage together. While on the ride, Hermione filled Ron in on what had happened. Apparently, he'd been at the far end of the train talking Chudley Cannons with some other Gryffindors and hadn't seen or heard anything. As expected, after hearing the report, Ron started to get wand-happy.

"Where is that fat-headed git? I'll shrink his head, hang him by his toes, dye his hair red-and-gold…"

Harry and Hermione laughed at the mental image that had instantly formed in their heads.

The castle was just as they had left it all those months ago, still breathtaking and beautiful. The trio smiled at each other excitedly as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table—they would get to see the Sorting again.

"Anders, Artie" became the first new Gryffindor. Harry and Ron were rather surprised at this—Artie looked like he would topple over if someone so much as exhaled in his direction. Indeed, the sight of the boy approaching the table was so appalling to Ron, he even snapped out of his usual hunger-crazed trance.

"That scrawny wimp is supposed to be a Gryffindor?" he muttered. "I mean, look at those _GLASSES_."

"And the shoes," Dean Thomas agreed. "Who on this earth wears _RUBBER SHOES THAT LIGHT UP _when you walk?"

"He's _TINY_. He's barely five feet!" Seamus Finnigan exclaimed.

"I think he ought to retry the hat," Harry added without thinking.

"I think we _all_ pretty much looked like we weren't Gryffindor material when we were Sorted," Hermione replied. She shot the boys a highly-disapproving look.

Harry looked a little guilty. He quickly flashed Artie Anders a big smile as the first-year sat down tentatively a couple of places away.

Ron simply went back to looking hungry.

"Finally!" he moaned when "Yu, Xiao Ying" was Sorted into Ravenclaw.

Hermione wrinkled her nose at him. "You are such a pig."

"Here they go again," Harry muttered.

Luckily, Dumbledore cleared his throat before Hermione and Ron could start one of their famously loud fights, and the Great Hall quieted down.

Harry's eyes drifted towards the staff table for the first time that night.

There was Snape, his least favorite professor, looking cold and cruel as usual, the Gryffindor Head of House Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher…

His green eyes fell upon an unfamiliar face.

She was very pretty, with long brown hair that had been pulled into a low ponytail. She wore glasses, which gave her that "teacherly" air, and her face held an expression of toughness.

Dumbledore was already talking. "And I would also like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Greenleaf."

Their new professor rose from her chair and smiled at the students. She had a very nice smile, Harry noted. It was certainly nice enough to make most of the boys sit up and take notice.

"Now…tuck in!" Dumbledore clapped his hands and food began to fill the golden plates.

"Is it me, or are we _FINALLY_ getting a pretty Defense teacher?" Seamus managed around a mouthful of potato as everyone started stuffing their faces.

Ron nodded when he finally succeeded in swallowing the huge wad of meat in his mouth. "About time we got some retribution. Right, Harry?"

Harry, who had been chewing the same bite of steak-and-kidney pie for the past few minutes while staring up at the staff table, was startled.

"Oh. Um, yeah. Right."

Ron peered at him. "You all right, mate? Did you get a bad pie?"

Harry shook his head, both to answer Ron's query and to clear his head. "It's nothing. I'm OK."

XXXXX

A/N: PRAISE BE TO THE LORD FOR GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS AND GREAT IS THY MERCY TO ME!

By the way, Professor Greenleaf, Artie Anders, and Yu Xiao Ying are mine. :)

And of course, to my reviewers:

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks! :) Well, that kind of stage is also very nice, but I wanted Draco and Hermione's relationship to develop from honest respect and friendship, not from passion caused by hate. But I _will_ be putting in some "moments" soon, so fear not! :)

**Flavagurl-** Thanks! :)

**Foxer**- Thanks! :)

**Alcapacien**- Thanks! :)

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks! :) And yeah, you are. :)

**MissDitzy**- Thanks! :) Yeah, it's tough, because you need a lot of time to be able to develop it, but it's worth it. :)

**Ehlonna**- Thanks! :) Well, Draco wasn't there at the time because he was with his mum (and presumably Crabbe and Goyle). Hermione went on ahead because she wasn't exactly needed yet, the other Order members being there and watching Harry's back and all. :)

**Draco**- Thanks! :)

Coming up: The bodyguarding begins…


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Hermione glanced uneasily at Draco the next day. The two of them were sitting in Arithmancy, waiting for Professor Vector to dismiss them. Draco had a look of pure irritation of his face as he jotted down notes.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, the headmaster would like to see you both," Professor Vector finally announced.

Hermione tossed her books and parchments into her bag. Draco strode past her briskly and as Hermione reached the door, he let it slam shut in her face.

Hermione took a deep breath as she opened the door again and followed the arrogant Slytherin outside. They kept a respectful distance from one another as they walked, and only when they were considerably far from the classroom did they move about a fraction of an inch closer together.

"I'll cover the hallway," Hermione announced when they reached the Divination classroom.

"Fine, I'll go check Potty's next classroom." Draco didn't want to argue—he simply wanted to get this over with.

Hermione still have more than ten minutes. She tried to do some homework (the teachers had already started loading them down with it) but she somehow just couldn't concentrate.

Suddenly, she heard the clatter of a wand on the floor. Wielding her own wand, she hightailed it to the classroom Draco was scouting—and found him entangled in some vines. The plant looked vaguely like Devil's Snare, but was not quite it.

Hermione aimed a tongue of fire at the plant. It recoiled slightly, but its grip on Draco did not loosen. Hermione began to panic as the green vines tightened around her Slytherin partner's windpipe. She threw out every jinx that came to mind, but they hardly had any effect.

_OK, what else are plants weak against?_ she thought desperately.

Then she remembered something she'd seen on TV.

_Bugs,_ she decided. She quickly did a spell that transformed one of the tables into caterpillars. It was complicated Transfiguration, even for her, but she managed it.

She was shocked when the caterpillars began eating away at the plant with amazing speed. In a matter of seconds, Draco, blue-faced, landed on the floor, gasping for breath.

"What on earth was that?" he rasped.

Hermione lowered her wand, suddenly exhausted.

Both of them rested wordlessly for a moment. As Draco lifted his head to take a breath, Hermione noticed that his neck was red and raw with abrasions.

"You need Madam Pomfrey," she remarked.

"How weak do you think I am?" Draco snapped, apparently not the least bit grateful that she had just saved him from certain death. "A few scratches won't kill me."

Hermione struggled to keep cool. "Fine. It's your neck, certainly not mine."

Draco, with visible effort, stood and rescued a small amount of plant. "Interesting."

"It must be some sort of new hybrid," Hermione said. "I've never seen it before."

"The Dark Lord's got himself a Sprout."

"Excuse me?"

"A Herbology expert. Look at how perfectly the different plants were blended together. It was strong and very healthy. Only someone who really knows plants could do such an excellent job." Draco coughed and gingerly touched his throat.

Hermione noticed something leaking from that throat. Something sickly green.

Then he fell suddenly to the ground. His lips became dry and chapped, blood leaking from them. Hermione barely had to move closer to see that he was burning up with fever.

"'A few scratches won't kill me.' Stupid git," she muttered as she levitated him up and to the hospital wing.

xxxxxxxxxx

Madam Pomfrey answered the door rather quickly when Hermione knocked. By then, Draco was a bit delirious, and had started mumbling nonsense about house-elves.

"Mm…grff…house-elf in my toilet…gotta flush…house-elf in my porridge…grumble…marmalade…"

Hermione and Madam Pomfrey both blinked.

"All…right then. You may go back now, Miss Granger. I'm sure the Divination class is winding up by now," Madam Pomfrey told Hermione. "I'll take it from here."

Hermione nodded and returned quickly. The door had been thrown open and students were streaming out. Harry and Ron spotted their best friend and headed over.

"What brings you here?" Harry asked good-naturedly.

"Professor Vector let us out early," Hermione replied. "I thought I'd pop over. So how's the old bat?"

The trio started down the hallway, chatting cheerfully.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione saw Draco return that evening at dinner. He looked better—his fever appeared to have passed. He lowered himself onto the bench at his table and began wolfing down his meal.

Hermione returned to her own food and her own crowd, who had not noticed Draco's return.

"I have never relished this day more," Ron was saying. "No Malfoy!"

"I hear he got himself landed in the hospital wing," Dean quipped. "Serves him right."

"I hope he landed in a vat of undiluted bubotuber pus and won't be back 'till next month," Ron said hopefully.

"Or slipped on a banana peel, broke his leg, had Lockhart fix it, and has now lost all his bones," Harry added.

The boys guffawed at that image, and Hermione managed a wan smile.

"'Mione? Something wrong?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head. "It's nothing, Ron."

As she lifted another forkful of food to her mouth, Draco caught her eye, lifted his chin, and gave her a curt nod.

XXXXX

A/N: I was supposed to have updated this chapter on January 28, in honor of my best friend Pannikittypiggyphant's birthday, but due to circumstances, I wasn't able to… Also, let's just pretend that Harry and Ron managed to stay in Divination.

AS ALWAYS, I THANK MY LORD GOD FOR EVERYTHING HE'S DONE FOR ME

And of course to my dear reviewers:

**Black Diamond4**- Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked my story. :)

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- This still isn't much, but the good moments are ever near… :) Thanks!

**TragicTeaLeaves**- Thanks:)

**Meghan**- Thanks:)

**Alcapacien**- Well, Harry might be… ;) And as for the book, I'd love to have it too…it's one of my fondest wishes, along with getting the Extended Edition DVDs… :)

**Peanutilover**- Wow, I'm very honored:) And it was my pleasure to have made you happy. Thanks so much:)

**Red Satin and Black Silk**- Thanks:)

**HPbabe143**- Thanks:)

**Ehlonna**- Well, she's coming out next chappie…stay tuned:) Thanks:)

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar**- Thanks:)

**Crimson Girl**- You don't have to wait any longer…it's here. :)

**MissDitzy**- Don't worry, you spelled it right. :) And I hope I've satisfied your craving for the drool-worthy one…enjoy:)

**Cold-eyes-for-you**- Thanks:)

Next: The first DADA lesson…what happens to the Boy-Who-Lived?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Harry felt a twinge of anticipation as he, Ron, and Hermione huddled in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom the next morning.

He wasn't the only one, though. Seamus and Dean were eagerly wondering aloud what class would be like this year with the lovely Professor Greenleaf at the helm, and even Neville was more…odd today than usual.

Their new teacher was standing by her desk when they edged tentatively inside the room. She flashed her enchanting smile once more.

"Come on in."

It was the first time they had ever heard her speak. Her voice was exactly as Harry had imagined it would sound like: soft and almost ethereal. He follwed the class inside, and, together with Ron and Hermione, found his seat.

"Good morning to you all. I'm Professor Greenleaf." As she spoke, her voice began to lose its ethereal air and become more McGonagall-like. "So, down to business. I've talked to Professor Dumbledore, and it seems that you've covered quite a lot already, from grindylows to Unforgivable Curses. Even (a corner of her lips twitched into a half-smile) Patronuses."

Chests puffed out in pride at that.

"Wonderful job, all of you. You're all very advanced when it comes to casting spells. Today's lesson, however, will be rather different. We'll be going down to the grounds, so take your bags with you."

There was a murmur of excitement. The last time they'd had a lesson outside the classroom was during Professor Lupin's time.

When they reached the grounds, Professor Greenleaf motioned for them to put down their things. As the class approached her with their wands in hand, she shook her head.

"You won't be needing those yet. As I mentioned earlier, you appear to be doing well when it comes to jinxing, but what about when it comes to…reflexes?" With that, she suddenly whipped forth her wand and blasted a jet of yellow light at them.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione leapt out of the way in the nick of time, as did, surprisingly, Neville. But the others, taken by surprise, didn't react quickly enough. Flowers started sprouting out of their ears. The Gryffindors looked at each other in stunned silence, then burst out laughing.

The professor laughed too as she helped them remove various blossoms from their ears.

Harry was quite entranced by the sound of her tinkling laugh and her graceful movements. He didn't realize that he was staring at her until she met his eyes and smiled faintly. He noticed the oddest flicker in her eyes before she turned away.

"All right; it looks like we may have to work on your reaction time," Professor Greenleaf announced. "Now, you may be wondering why I want to work on your reflexes."

"Quidditch!" Ron called out.

The professor cocked her head thoughtfully. "Good reason, Ron.But also because there are times when you are left without a wand in a dangerous situation, and you have to be able to rely on your own capabilities. Having well-trained reflexes can save your life."

Harry looked at his shoes uncomfortably. He knew only too well.

"Let's split into groups, and practice throwing and avoiding curses. I'll be going around to see who needs help," the professor concluded.

As the Gryffindors shuffled off, she stopped in front of the trio and Neville. "Twenty points to Gryffindor, by the way."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were grouped together, as usual. They spread out a bit, and Ron volunteered to be the first to test his reflexes.

Harry aimed a good, strong, Disarming Curse at him. Ron somersaulted out of the way.

"I've been practicing that," he bragged.

"Showoff," Hermione muttered before letting loose a Jelly-Legs Jinx.

Ron attempted to do a cartwheel, slipped, and got hit by the spell full-force. He wobbled over with great difficulty. Hermione gave him a look of pure triumph and superiority.

"Mind putting me right now, 'Mione?" he asked feebly.

"No, I think I'll just let you wobble around for the rest of the day. Serves you right for being such an swell-headed braggart."

"Hermione, I can't go anywhere like this!"

"Well, you'll just have to find a way."

"Tell her, Harry!"

But Harry's attention was quite far from the squabble; it instead was on the woman helping a red-faced Neville hold his wand right.

Ron and Hermione followed the burning gaze of those emerald eyes.

"He certainly didn't waste any time." Ron goggled at the sight of Harry staring so fervently at the new teacher.

"He _does_ have a taste for older women, doesn't he?" Hermione was equally dumbstruck.

"It looks that way."

"Merlin, I need to breathe."

Harry returned to earth just then. He stared at his best friends: Ron, stiff as a statue (despite the Jelly-Legs Jinx), and Hermione, who looked as though she'd been Jelly-Legs-Jinxed herself.

"What happened? Did you swap curses?"

"Merlin, Harry," Ron whispered. "You fancy Greenleaf."

xxxxxxxxxx

Nicole Greenleaf shut the door to her classroom after her class with the Gryffindors, a flower—stargazer, to be specific—clenched in her fist.

She sat down at her desk, staring at the petals.

Long-ago memories and unspeakable emotions surged up inside her, and she struggled to hold them back.

"_Stargazer. For you."_

"_Oh, it's so pretty! Look at those petals…the way they just glow…How'd you know I love stargazers? Oh, thank you…"_

"Stop it," she commanded herself.

She'd managed to keep her composure during the lesson, but when she'd met Harry Potter's eyes, she had very nearly lost that composure.

He reminded her, somehow, of…

"Professor?" someone called from outside the classroom, and she remembered that her next class was with the Hufflepuffs. Pasting a smile on her face, she went to greet them.

And the stargazer continued to sit on the desk.

XXXXX

A/N: Bit of a melancholy ending, this one, but I promise that the next chapter will be rife with funnies!

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

And to my reviewers:

**Flavagurl**- Thanks:) And the good stuff draws ever closer…

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:) Yeah, Voldie stops at nothing …

**Beckie**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks:) I hope you can hold out, as the goodies are getting cloooossssseeeeerrrrrr…

**Ehlonna**- Thanks:) Well, technically, I guess he does owe her one. As for the length, well, I'll try making the chaps longer.

**Alcapacien**- Sad…I haven't got any of the three. I'm glad you liked the caterpillars—my inspiration for them was actually Pokemon…

**Duj**- Thanks for your input. I guess my editor and I have missed some details. However, there are some things that you may have just misunderstood:

In the sixth chapter, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were shocked not at the thought that Draco was good, but rather at the fact that _Ron_ would actually admit it. Hermione's line was my booboo, though— I just thought that things wouldn't be normal if no one accused Draco of cheating. When my editor and I reread it again after we read your review, we realized that that line was misleading, so, sorry about that. Also, when I was writing the chess-match scene, I was really thinking about letting Draco win, but my editor advised against it, so I heeded.

And about them getting out of Arithmancy early, well, I don't think there's anything really suspicious about Dumbledore calling them to his office (which is his excuse). After all, they are both sixth-year Prefects at this time, and Dumbledore could just be discussing Head Boy/Head Girl requirements with them.

In the line "Remember what he's done to us…", the us was not referring only to Hermione and Ginny, but to their entire group (including the boys, and Hagrid).

**MissDitzy**- Thanks:)

Up next: Draco decides to bring a little pizzazz into his bodyguarding job…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Draco rolled his gray eyes.

_I have never EVER felt so stupid,_ he thought. _Trailing bloody POTTER._

Granted, he was having an easier time doing his job today. No one had made any attempts on Harry's life, and Draco had been able to finish his dinner painless and wound-free.

He was now hiding in a corner of the Great Hall, keeping an eye on the Gryffindor table.

And he was beyond _BORED._

_They haven't even got any good gossip,_ he grumbled to himself. The Gryffindors were so darn goody-goody, it was sickening.

He twirled his wand in his wand as he watched the Golden Trio huddle together in one of their best-friends conferences.

_Hmmm._ Draco was stuck guarding The-Boy-who-Lived and there was nothing he could do about it, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

xxxxxxxxxx

"_THE LIBRARY?_ Come on, Hermione, let's go to the field instead. I want to practice! It's way too early to be doing _HOMEWORK_!" Ron was moaning.

"Oh, right. And when would be the proper time? One in the morning?" Hermione replied scathingly.

"I don't mind," Harry said quietly.

Ron looked stunned. "Harry, I know you want to impress Professor Greenleaf," he gasped, taking care to keep his voice low, "—but wouldn't you prefer to do that on your Firebolt?"

Harry turned red.

"_SHUT IT, _Ron," Hermione hissed. "_Not in public."_

Harry was truly grateful for Hermione's existence at that moment.

"_WHO ON EARTH WOULD PREFER TO DO SNAPE'S STUPID, IDIOTIC, SENSELESS ESSAY OVER—" _

"_SILENCIO!"_ Hermione screeched, but it was too late. The Great Hall fell quiet and stared at Ron, whose eyes were wide with horror as he realized what he had just announced to the whole school.

Over at the staff table, Severus Snape's face turned white with rage.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a weird tingle atop her head.

_BZZT!_

Her thick brown hair was suddenly pulled away from her face.

Ron stared at her, unable to speak.

"You look like Frankenstein's bride," Harry remarked. He stood up on the bench to feel the tips of her of hair. "Ouch!"

As he jumped down, blowing on his thumb—

_WHAM!_

He slipped on a puddle of water that had mysteriously materialized on the floor. His left leg slid one way, and his right leg slid the other, and he ended up doing a rather impressive split.

The students(except the Slytherins) applauded that move, even Hermione, who had forgotten about the hair. Trust Harry to come out of a slip like that looking perfectly graceful and flexible.

_R-RIP. R-R-RIP._

Harry picked himself up off the floor and wondered why he felt so…cool. Especially the back of him.

The entire Hall looked in shock at what Harry couldn't see.

"Um…Harry…your…behind," Hermione finally managed.

Harry's robes had ripped during his fall…and so had his jeans, all the way up to the inseam.

"Bloody hell…"

He looked at Hermione with pleading eyes, and the young witch pulled forth her wand, her face red, to repair his torn clothing.

"Hermione! Your hair…it's red!" Parvati Patil choked out.

Hermione paled…and so did her hair.

xxxxxxxxxx

Minerva McGonagall was very rarely surprised. She had been at Hogwarts nearly forty years, and she had seen everything (especially during James Potter's time).

But surprised she was when she entered the Great Hall for dinner.

She saw a red-haired boy whose eyes were filled with fear as Severus Snape advanced on him, a girl whose hair was standing straight up and was violently changing color, and a black-haired, bespectacled boy whose face was so red, McGonagall actually feared he would explode.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

Hermione's hair turned purple as she attempted to fix her hair, but her aim was off again. Even McGonagall had to smother a grin as she broke through the students to put the poor girl right.

She didn't manage to hold back a laugh, though.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione had never been so humiliated. The entire school had just seen her turn into Frankenstein's bride complete with color-changing hair, _and her favorite teacher was LAUGHING at her. _

She made a mental vow to mummify herself for good.

Ron swallowed hard as Snape swept to a stop before him, a nasty smile on the professor's face.

"Detention, Weasley," he said silkily. "And you had better pray you'll still be in one piece after it."

xxxxxxxxxx

The trio left the Great Hall, not quite able to ingest food any longer.

"I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead…" Ron was muttering repeatedly, like it was a mantra.

They heard a howl of laughter just behind them, and they stiffened. Upon turning around, their eyes narrowed dangerously.

Draco Malfoy was leaning against the wall, barely able to support himself; he was laughing that hard.

"Why'd you let McGonagall put you right?" he gasped. "Your hair was looking so neat already!"

"You!" Ron growled.

"Me? What'd I do?" Draco blinked in mock innocence. "But honestly, Weasel, you ought to watch yourself when you're talking. You never know when you might be getting _carried away_."

He grinned, recovered his bearings, and started for his common room.

"Oh, and Potter? Nice boxers, although I imagine they _COULD_ use a wash every now and then…"

XXXXX

A/N: This chapter was highly inspired by CrazyGirl47's _The Prank War_, one of the best fics I have ever read.

THANKS BE TO THE LORD!

To my reviewers:

**MissDitzy**- Well, the professor's age is something I can't reveal just yet, but you'll find out later in the story. :)

**Flavagurl**- Thanks:) As for who Harry reminds Professor Greenleaf of, her history will be revealed in the latter part of the story. :)

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar**- I'm not saying anything…but you're pretty close… :)

**Ehlonna**- Nah, there won't be any student-teacher romances in here. Too…weird. :) Besides, Greenleaf's heart is still tied to another… :) I'm glad you liked the lesson!

**HPbabe143**- Thanks:)

**Sacagawea-** Well, Greenleaf's being in Hogwarts will definitely be a slightly important part in the story, that's all I can say… :)

**StarPheonix-** Wow, thanks:) The D/Hr stuff will be coming out very very soon, I promise. :)

**Crimson Girl**- Hope you like:)

**Alcapacien**- He'll just be causing trouble, and havoc, and funnies… :D

Coming next: No one messes with the Gryffindor Three…

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all:)


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Draco gave a satisfied sigh as he felt the warm sunlight on his face the next morning. Ah, there was nothing like waking up feeling the satisfaction of having pranked the Golden Trio successfully…

Wait a second. Why was there a crunching sound beneath him?

Draco's eyes flew open. Why on earth was he lying _OUTSIDE?_

He shot up and looked down at himself.

"AAAAHHHHH!"

Birds flew squawking from their nests at the bloodcurdling shriek.

_HE WAS WEARING A NEON-PINK, RUFFLED POLYESTER NIGHTGOWN!_

Draco looked madly around him. Where was his gold Snitch-patterned satin comforter? Where were his green-and-silver silk pajamas? Where was his _WAND?_

Suddenly, he detected a not-so-nice scent and looked up slowly.

A herd of hippogriffs surrounded him. And they did not look friendly.

"AAAAHHHHH!"

One of the hippogriffs glared down at him. Apparently, it did not take kindly to screaming, noisy humans.

With a sweep of its sharp beak…

It knocked Draco to the side…right into a huge pile of hippogriff dung.

"MMMMFFFFF!" (muffled scream)

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry, Ron, and Hermione whistled innocently as Draco trudged past them, covered in and dragging in hippogriff dung.

A pair of gray eyes flashed angrily in response.

"Whew! Something reeks!" Ron announced, quite loudly.

"Looking for an early swim, Malfoy? I think you went the wrong way," Hermione remarked.

The trio laughed and walked on to breakfast.

Unbeknownst to the unfortunate Slytherin, Harry had had Colin Creevey's camera (now upgraded to one of those new small, compact models) in his hand, clicking away during the exchange.

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco went into the Great Hall for lunch, finally feeling refreshed and relaxed. He'd spent the better part of the morning scrubbing himself clean (hippogriff excretions, he'd come to find out, were extremely difficult to remove) and had had to miss his classes.

_At least I'll rest knowing only Potter's posse saw me,_ he told himself.

_Not._

The moment Draco set his foot upon the floor of the dining hall, the students burst into whispers and giggles.

_What's going on?_ he thought as he passed the Hufflepuff table on his way to his own table. The Hufflepuffs there sniggered and chuckled.

Pansy Parkinson spotted him and moved over, urgency in her steps.

"Draco, I think you should see this."

She pressed a photograph into his hands.

Draco's mouth fell open in horror. There, in full color, was him…covered in the hippogriff dung and wearing that ridiculous pink nightgown.

"AAARRGGGHH!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry bowed to his fellow Gryffindors who were applauding like crazy. "Thank you, thank you!"

"Yeah, you showed him, Harry!" Seamus called out. He was still being extra-supportive of Harry to make up for doubting him last year.

The Hufflepuffs were whooping their approval, and the Ravenclaws were punching their fists in the air.

More out of habit than anything, Harry snuck a glance at Cho Chang, his ex-girlfriend, at the Ravenclaw table. She and her boyfriend Michael Corner were clapping politely.

Harry felt nothing towards that anymore.

He looked up at the staff table. Professor Greenleaf caught his eye and grinned, and he felt a warm feeling rise within him.

"Ooh, she likes the prank," Ron hissed in Harry's ear. "Congratulations, mate."

When the trio had had their fill of food and praise, they exited the Great Hall amidst cheers. They met up with Professor Greenleaf.

"It's nice to know things haven't changed here," she commented. "The pranks are still as good."

"You went here?" Harry queried.

"Oh yeah. I was in Ravenclaw, some twenty years ago." She grinned mischievously and waggled her eyebrows. "I used to help the Gryffindors in my year prank the Slytherins."

"Wicked," Ron said in awe.

"How?" Harry asked.

"I worked mostly behind the scenes—little traps and such. The snakes were stumped all the time—every Gryffindor had an alibi and hello, who expected a Ravenclaw to be involved?"

"Why?" Hermione questioned. "Slytherins don't normally have anything against your house."

There was a brief flicker of something in the professor's eyes. It was gone in a second, however. "Oh, I needed a little fun."

Harry and Ron were impressed. Hermione was caught between admiration and disapproval.

"Oh, look at the time—I have to go. Professor McGonagall wants to speak with me. It was great talking to you!" The lovely professor set off for the faculty room.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione resumed walking, but Harry's mind seemed to have drifted off into la-la land.

Ron sniggered at the dopey expression on the face of The-Boy-Who-Lived.

"Move over, Chang. There's a new Ravenclaw in town."

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco and Hermione met just outside Arithmancy that afternoon. As Hermione started to enter the classroom, the blond-haired boy grabbed her arm and dragged her to an empty corridor.

Hermione tried to tug her arm from his grasp, but his grip was very strong.

He finally stopped and spun her around to meet his furious glare.

"So," he growled. "So."

XXXXX

A/N: This chapter is still based on _The Prank War_ by CrazyGirl47

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

To my reviewers:

**BlackDiamond4**- Thanks:)

**Ehlonna**- Yeah, that was all Draco's doing. :)

**lonely unloved girl**- Wow, thanks:) Your sister's a fan fiction writer too?

**Delayed Action Ninja**- I am so so sorry that eleven chapters in and there's STILL no romance. This was due to the fact that I didn't want things to come too easily for them. But please just hang on, because starting from the next chapter, you'll be seeing some nice Draco/Hermione interaction. :)

**Flavagurl**- Thanks:)

**Sacagawea**- Well, the tables are getting turned on him… :)

**MissDitzy**- Well, there's nothing actually wrong with Harry's boxers. It's just one of Draco's insults. :)

**FoolishlyBraveDarkStar**- Thanks:)

**Alcapacien**- Thanks:)

**StarPheonix**- Thanks:)

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks:)

Coming up: Hermione? Cut class? Hmmm…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"So," Draco growled. "So."

Hermione stood her ground and coolly met his gray eyes.

"I don't need this kind of sabotage, Granger. Especially from you."

"Excuse me? _Sabotage?"_

"You heard me. Playing juvenile practical jokes on me is not the way to ensure MY optimum health, which ultimately decides the fate of this mission!"

Hermione's temper rose. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Malfoy—correct me if I am wrong—but which one of us started it?"

"You—"

"You have the nerve to speak to me in such a manner! You were the one who pranked us first, and you dare act so high-and-mighty! And don't even TRY to attempt to justify your actions. You not only attempted to sabotage your partner, you also jeopardized the health of your charge!"

"I—"

"Harry might've broken a leg or an ankle, you lousy git! With a bodyguard like you, Malfoy, Harry doesn't need Voldemort's cronies. In your clumsy, vindictive hands, he'll be a goner in a second!"

She turned and started to storm away…but Draco's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Anyway, that's not important," he snapped. "The important thing is that…"

He broke off and whipped out his wand.

Hermione whirled, drawing her own.

"Death Eaters," he hissed. "They're camouflaged."

Hermione nodded as she kept her eyes on the walls. "There are two of them."

"Ah, just right."

Both students reflexively ducked as the wizards suddenly shot blasts of red light at them.

Draco shot a Disarming Curse at one of them.

The Death Eater leapt out of the way, but Hermione was ready. She hit him full on with a Full Body-Bind, at the same time Draco tackled the second, wrenched off the guy's wand before he could react, and knocked him out with another Disarming Curse between the eyes. Pointing, Hermione neutralized the Death Eaters' Disillusionment Charm.

"Oh-kay." Draco peered at the figures that materialized before them. "Big threat."

The assassins were clearly naught but lowly lackeys, close to or at the bottom of the Death Eater hierarchy. One, the one Hermione hexed, was small and wiry, while the other was short and stout.

"We ought to Obliviate them, just in case," Hermione suggested.

Draco nodded.

"So, what were you going to say earlier?" she asked as she and Draco began dragging the prone assassins to Dumbledore's office.

"Oh. Yeah. Anyway, I think that we should…call a truce for the moment." Draco made a face, as though the words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"What!"

"Very simple, genius. I don't touch you; you don't touch me. No hexing. No pranks," he explained snidely.

"Fine," she shot back. "I'll keep to it. But this is—"

"Only for the sake of the mission," Draco finished. "Once it's done, Granger, you and Pottyweasel had better brace yourselves."

Hermione returned the smirk. "Same goes for you and the shaved gorillas you lug around."

They stopped and shook hands briefly.

xxxxxxxxxx

They didn't bother to return to Arithmancy. After all, Draco reasoned, they were already extremely late. No point in going back in there to face the questioning gazes of their fellow students.

"At least if we skive off, we earn coolness points," he concluded.

"But we lose points for our houses," Hermione countered.

Draco shrugged carelessly. "So? They're not important to me. Besides, Potter earns it all back for you with his heroic feat of the year."

Hermione started to head back to the classroom.

"Fine; go ahead," Draco called. "I should've known—you haven't got a centimetre of the famous 'Gryffindor spine'."

He went on his way, whistling.

Hermione froze, her hand on the doorknob.

Draco slowed down and grinned, knowing he had struck a nerve. As if on cue, Hermione charged up beside him, her brown eyes burning fire.

"Excuse me? _I_ haven't got spine? I have broken far more school rules than you ever will. I've skived off my share of classes."

(Accidentally, but she would never admit that to Draco)

"So, good. I'm heading to the kitchens. Coming?"

The challenge in his eyes was too difficult to turn down.

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco stopped outside the painting and tickled the pear. The secret door swung open to a kitchen full of chattering house-elves.

Hermione stopped at the doorway, hesitant to enter.

She had finally given the S.P.E.W thing a rest the past summer to focus on the task at hand. But she knew that the house-elves were still displeased with the Gryffindors—at last report, Dobby was still cleaning Gryffindor Tower by himself.

Draco cocked his head at the door. "Well?"

"Erm…I can't go in."

"Why? Oh…Well, who asked you to make enemies of the house-elves?"

He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside.

The house-elves stopped chattering.

"Yes, I know I've got the bad hat-knitter with me, but she's not giving out any woolly bladders today. We'll just have some treacle tarts and be on our way," Draco announced.

Hermione struggled to bite back her pep talk as she watched the diminutive creatures rush around to get Draco's order.

"Don't even try it," Draco snapped as he grabbed the treacle tarts and quickly pushed her back out.

"You have much to learn, Granger."

XXXXX

A/N: Let's pretend that Draco knows about the secret door to the kitchens and about Hermione knitting the clothes for the house-elves.

MY DEEPEST THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD!

And to my reviewers:

**MeLiO**- Thanks:)

**Sacagawea**- The bad guys just don't give up. :)

**Ehlonna**- You bet he is. :)

**BlackDiamond4**- Yes, there will be some romance for our favorite bespectacled hero. :)

**Crimson Girl**- It might take a little while for our fave couple's hormones to start reacting, but I tell you, they definitely will soon. :) Patience is a virtue… :)

**Marauderbabe289**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- This isn't exactly romantic yet, but things will progress very soon… :) I hope I have, at least to a certain extent, satisfied your craving.

**Alcapacien**- Well, the Slytherins have never really actually directed attacks at her, that much I can say… :)

**MissDitzy**- If she was really very pretty, well, can't blame him… :)

**Flavagurl**- Sorry, but there won't be any kissing anytime soon. I'm saving that, you see… :)

Up next: Hermione cries…and who just happens to be there to comfort her? ;)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Granger, wake up. The house-elves are born to be servants. Why oh _why_ do you keep insisting they get freed?"

"Because it's only fair, Malfoy! They do so much for us, and what do they get? Nothing!"

Draco groaned. "_Working_ is their payment! They're HAPPY doing that. Your trying to free them makes them UPSET and INSULTED. Get it?"

"I'm not going to stand by and watch poor innocent house-elves be persecuted!"

"I ought to report you to the headmaster."

"Why?"

"You just called him a house-elf persecutor."

"W-what?" Hermione spluttered. "I didn't mean it like that!"

They were outside Harry's Divination classroom. Draco had just inhaled the last of the treacle tarts as he teased Hermione.

"Then what else could you have meant? Dumbledore keeps house-elves. You said you want to free house-elves so that they'll no longer be persecuted. Connect the dots."

Hermione looked annoyed. "Dumbledore is not the point, Malfoy!"

"Of course he's not the point. He's the house-elf persecutor." Draco grinned. Toying with Hermione was so much fun.

"Malfoy!" Hermione looked more and more peeved—and a little scared. "Back to the elves! Anyway, they still ought to get SOME form of recognition for their services!"

"And what'll they do with the pay, if they are paid?" Draco asked. "What'll they do with that money?"

"They'll get themselves some proper clothes, a well-deserved vacation, perhaps some medicines…"

"Not all of them are fond of wearing tea cozies for hats or mismatched socks. Besides, what, you expect the Ministry to build them a special house-elf shopping center? Thereby possibly ushering in a new wave of crime?"

"I—"

"And they'll go insane having nothing to do if you send them off to a beach in Tahiti. They're not for lounging around and building sand castles. Besides, if they need any help, isn't Madam Pomfrey good enough?"

"What about those under the tyrannical rule of abusive owners? I highly doubt those have a nurse to care for them."

"That's why house-elves have their own magic. Granger, they are not completely defenseless. They can take care of themselves. They don't need a nosy human—like, say, you—to pamper them. It just irritates the hell out of them."

Hermione was breathing in short, rapid gasps, which meant two things: she was either ill, or trying to keep from strangling him.

"Like an annoying, loudmouth bug, scurrying around their floors…oh, this is a better example: like the way I'm irritating you now," Draco finished smoothly, leaning against the wall as he savored another victory. "Face it. You know I'm right."

It was then that the door to the Divination classroom flew open and the Gryffindors came hurrying out. It was too late for Draco to hide—the students had suddenly come to a stop, staring in bewilderment at the Slytherin boy.

Harry and Ron advanced to the front of the crowd, wands out and raised.

The Weasley immediately rushed to Hermione's side. "You OK?"

Hermione nodded. "I'm perfectly fine."

Harry's eyes blazed with power as he advanced on Draco, who drew his own wand.

"Harry!" Hermione called. "_Harry!"_

She quickly stepped between them, her back to Draco, her eye meeting Harry's.

"Calm down," she told him. "He's not worth it."

Harry resheathed his wand, but the anger in his green eyes had not dissipated.

"It's not smart to antagonize me, Malfoy," he hissed, his voice so low that only Draco could hear, and dangerous. "I don't care which side you're on—mess with Hermione and you deal with me."

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione and Draco met up again just before bedtime in the corridors. Hermione glared at him as she shifted her mountain of books to her other arm.

"Ah, my favorite Mud—Gryffindor," he drawled. "How was the library? More pro-elf literature?"

Hermione briskly brushed past him…thereby allowing the books she was carrying slam hard into his chest.

"Owwww!"

The Gryffindor girl had a wicked smile on her face. "Oh, I am so sorry, Malfoy. Purely an accident, of course…"

With that, she went on her merry way, leaving a coughing Draco behind.

xxxxxxxxxx

It was just another day on the job. Draco and Hermione had skipped Arithmancy again to stake out the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

As Hermione opened the door, her wand fell to the floor.

Harry was lying spread-eagled on the floor, his green eyes blank.

Draco entered after her. "What on earth—AAAAAHHHHH!"

He jumped about six feet into the air.

Hermione's hands were shaking.

Draco struggled to calm himself down and think rationally. "Wait…OK…but…he's in Divination right now…no way could he—" Draco sucked in a breath as realization struck, filling him with relief. Retrieving his wand from the floor (he had dropped it when he screamed), he shouted, "Eeek, _Riddikulus!"_

The boggart, which had just morphed into a hippogriff, disappeared with a loud "Poof!"

Draco turned back to Hermione, who, to his complete and utter shock, was crying.

"Oh _great_. Yep. Exactly what I need."

He very tentatively poked her in the back. "Granger."

She did not respond.

"Granger! The boggart's gone!"

She cried harder. He groaned. He was NOT equipped to handle bawling!

"Granger, if you don't stop, I'll hex you."

Realizing he was having no effect whatsoever, he tried a gentler approach, although every fiber of his being protested against this.

"Granger, Potter's safe a few doors away. It was just a boggart. Understand? A boggart."

Hermione finally dared to open her eyes. She sniffled a bit, but it appeared that she was done with her crying jag for now.

Draco breathed.

"But why set a boggart on Harry?" she asked, her voice still thick as she stepped closer to the spot where the boggart had been. "I mean, he knows perfectly well how to handle them—"

They suddenly heard a dull "Twang!"

XXXXX

A/N: THERE IS NONE WHO DESERVES PRAISE MORE THAN MY LORD JESUS CHRIST!

And to my reviewers:

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:) This one's longer now, though…

**Ehlonna**- Well, they're not quite almost-friendly yet—they're still enemies: arguing, calling each other names, "accidentally" hitting each other with big stacks of books… :)

**Goodybad**- Thanks:) The next couple of chapters will be focusing on Draco and Hermione, but there'll quite a bit of Harry/Ginny soon…

**Cold-eyes-for-you**- I never said I'm completely cutting pranks out of the story…who knows, I might decide to put something in… ;)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- I'm very sorry, but the next chap will contain something you might like… ;) No kissing for a good long while, though, because I'm saving that.

**Marina**- Thanks:) And I'll be glad to do so

**Alcapacien**- We-ell, Draco really was just going to tell her about the truce thing. He, sadly, is not yet in love with her, and does not even like her as of now...but things will change, though it'll be a while.

**Crimson Girl**- Oh, I hope you won't give up on me too soon…the next chapter's pretty good, if I may say so myself. ;)

**MissDitzy**- Thanks for the input:) And yes, the Death Eaters were taken to Dumbledore.

Coming up: Heroic Draco…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They suddenly heard a dull "Twang!"

The next few seconds seemed to pass in a blur. Draco, without even realizing it, jumped in front of Hermione.

A knife, its sharp end glistening in the wan light, arced down towards the pair.

Draco was, however, no fool—he had no intention of being stabbed in the heart. Gripping Hermione tightly, he hurled them both to the side—but not quickly enough.

The knife embedded itself in the flesh of his arm.

Draco fell to the floor, a sleeve of his robes darkening with blood.

Hermione climbed to her feet and went to his side. She winced at the red substance dripping forth from his clothes.

"Malfoy. Are you alright?"

Draco glared at her. "Are you stupid? Get this thing out of me!"

After glaring back, she removed the knife. Slowly calculating the arc of the knife, she moved towards the place where she thought the weapon might have originated.

_Twang._

Luckily, Hermione heard the sound, and rolled out of the way.

Draco dragged himself over to where the second knife lay. Then he noticed something.

"It's a trap. There's some sort of wire stretched across the floor, and when someone steps on it/touches it, it somehow releases a knife."

Hermione crouched on the floor and with her eyes followed the path of the wire. "Of course. Shockingly simple, but often, the simplest plans are the most effective. But this is a Muggle method. Why would they bother…?"

She suddenly remembered that Draco had been wounded.

"Malfoy, we need to get you to the hospital wing."

"Oh, thank you for remembering," Draco quipped sarcastically. He raised his wand and disabled the traps.

"Can you stand?" Hermione asked.

Draco, despite the stinging pain, managed to smirk. "Why, you want to carry me?"

"In your dreams, you jerk," Hermione shot back.

Draco picked himself up. "Yes, O Bossy One, I can stand."

They made their way to the hospital wing.

xxxxxxxxxx

"MADAM POMFREY IS GONE?" Draco screeched.

"She went to have a cup of tea," Hermione reported, grinning, from the note Madam Pomfrey had left. "She'll be back in fifteen minutes."

"What am I going to do? Bleed to death here for fifteen bloody minutes?"

Hermione sighed. "Wait here. I'm going to get something from my dormitory."

"Hey!" Draco called, but she had gone. With a sigh, he sat down and tried to twist his sleeve into a bandage.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione returned a few minutes later, a jar of white stuff in her hand. She stopped and cringed at the sight of Draco's soiled robes.

"Take off your robes and your shirt. I need to be able to clean the wound properly."

Draco got a glint in his eye. She glowered at him.

"You want me to stuff this jar down your throat, Malfoy? Get your mind out of the gutter."

He obliged. "You're looking at something rare and precious, Granger. Enjoy it while you can."

"Yech. Blech," was the witch's reply. "Oh—_gross_."

For she was looking at the wound in all its vile glory. Blood was smeared all over Draco's arm, and more was pumping out from the cut, which was a bit deep.

"Disgusting," she muttered. "All right; I'm going to treat you the Muggle way. It'll be a bit painful…"

"No!" Draco cried.

"OK, if you want to wait…ten more minutes for Madam Pomfrey, then please, be my guest."

Draco thought that over. He _had _lost a considerable amount of blood already…

Fortunately, the school nurse kept a supply of antiseptic and cotton around. Hermione grabbed them and began cleaning the gash.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Draco shrieked.

Hermione slapped him, hard, on the back. "Quit your yapping and take it like a man."

As soon as the wound was cleaner, Hermione uncapped the jar and started applying its contents to the cut.

"Yiiii! That's cold!" Draco leapt up.

"Sit down!" she snapped.

Draco finally acquiesced after Hermione started drawing out her wand, and as he did so, he felt a curious sensation.

"My cut…"

"Not quite so painful anymore, is it?" Hermione finished. "I told you—this stuff works wonders."

"Not bad, this salve," Draco mused as he studied the jar.

"It works for acne, blisters, mosquito bites—pretty much anything you can imagine." Hermione plucked the container from Draco's grasp and smugly recapped it. "Funny how _great_ good old-fashioned Muggle medicine can be."

"Where do you get this? I can't believe a bunch of cave dwellers like your kind could discover something like this!"

Hermione stiffened, and she gave him an almighty whack on the skull. When Draco turned to snap at her, he noticed that her face was sad. "It was my great-uncle's special concoction."

"If I show this to the Healers—come on, Granger, you'd be famous!"

"You can't!" she burst out.

"Why not? We could make that relative of yours famous too."

"It wouldn't matter, because he…died last year." Hermione's eyes turned watery. "This was the very last jar of salve he made before he…went. He gave it to me."

"Oh. Ummm…" Draco wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't everyday that your sworn enemy confessed to you that someone she was close to bit the dust.

Saying "nyah, nyah, nyah, good for you" was certainly not an option.

"This is his secret to keep," Hermione concluded quietly.

"Oh. Ummm…my condolences." It was the best he could think of.

Just then, the door opened and in walked Madam Pomfrey.

"What are you two doing in here?"

Hermione quickly hid the jar behind her back.

"I accidentally cut myself," Draco supplied. "And you weren't here. Luckily, I was intelligent enough to find myself the septic tank and clean myself up."

Hermione burst out laughing. Madam Pomfrey blinked.

"I think you meant _antiseptic_," the nurse finally corrected kindly, but right after that a snort of laughter escaped from her lips.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked.

XXXXX

A/N: The medicine is based on a real-life salve, made by my great-uncle, who died last year. Kudos to him, wherever he may be…

I THANK THE LORD FOR EVERYTHING, INCLUDING…

My reviewers:

**Peanutilover**- Here you go. :)

**BlackWolf-of-the-sea**- Thanks:) I don't know what Inuyasha's about, could you tell me:)

**Cold-eyes-for-you**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- Thanks:) I hope you'll like this…

**Sissified**- Thanks:)

**Alcapacien**- As much as I want Legolas to be in here, sadly, he's not, so yep, not a bow. :D Yeah, if that boggart showed my best friend dead, I'd be completely freaked out too.

**Sacagawea**- Blame his gentlemanly upbringing… :))

**Ehlonna**- Thanks:)

**Crimson Girl**- Well, canon shows that Draco can be a bit of a wimp, and I'm not fully letting go of that. :evil laugh: Thanks a ton for staying with me—you won't regret it. I hope…

**Goodybad**- Thanks:) I wanted to show that Hermione has grown up from caring about grades and now worries about more important stuff. :) And fear not because…

Next: No HP fanfic is complete without Quidditch…and no Quidditch scene is complete without a little H/G… ;)


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I'm very sorry for the late update! I was obsessed with plans for our senior prom, and right after that event I was off to Taiwan for a week. Please forgive me…

Anyway, on with the show…

Chapter 15

"Let's go visit Hagrid," Ron announced a few days later.

"Yeah—we haven't been to see him in a long while," Harry agreed. "Hope he hasn't missed us too much."

The trio pulled on their cloaks and headed across the grounds to the gamekeeper's hut.

Hagrid opened the door, the gentle half-giant's beetle-black eyes smiling down at them.

"Hullo, Harry, Ron, Hermione," he boomed. "Come in. Was jus' havin' some tea."

They entered, and to their surprise—

"Professor Greenleaf!"

The pretty professor looked equally surprised, but pleasantly so. "Harry, Ron, Hermione! Nice to see you!"

The three students sat down as Hagrid plunked down three mugs before them.

"Eat up, now," he announced as he set a platter of rock cakes on the table.

The four guests looked rather ill and queasy.

"Er, we'll stick to just tea, thanks," Harry spoke up. "Too close to dinner, y'know."

Professor Greenleaf quickly followed up. "Erm, I'm on a diet, sorry."

Hagrid chuckled. "Yeh don' need that, Nicole. Yeh're still as thin as yeh were back then."

Harry agreed wholeheartedly, but he didn't make a point of mentioning it.

"Well, you know women, Hagrid. Always so concerned about their figure."

"So, why are you here, Professor?" Hermione asked. "I mean, not that I'm—I'm just curious."

"We were talkin' abou'—" Hagrid began.

"Plants!" the teacher interjected smoothly. "I was telling Hagrid how lovely the flowers are this year."

"You like plants?" Ron asked. He shot a sly smile at Harry.

"Oh yes! Herbology was my favorite subject in school. I might've been a Herbology teacher if Professor Sprout hadn't continued teaching."

"Why did you become a Defense teacher?" Harry queried.

The professor's eyes clouded over once more, but as always she mastered it. "I needed a job. I'd just moved back to Britain in the summer, and heard that Professor Dumbledore was hiring, so I applied."

"You just moved back here? From where?"

"Australia. I'd relocated there a year or so after I graduated from here."

Hermione perked up. "Australia is very lovely."

"You've been there?"

"Oh yes! The Muggle portion only though…"

"Did you shop the boutiques in Melbourne?"

"Definitely. They have the best scarves! And the opal jewelry is to die for."

"Oh, the opal is a given. How about the macadamia-but chocolates?"

"How about the chocolates? They are beyond delicious!"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, blinked, shook their heads, and gulped their tea.

"They're getting along."

xxxxxxxxxx

Since that day, Professor Greenleaf became their friend.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Well, hurry on up, Harry! Haven't got all day, you know!"

"Coming, Katie!" Harry called back.

It was late November now, the day before the last Quidditch match before the holidays, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Harry was heading out to practice (his "lifelong" ban had been lifted the moment Dumbledore reasserted his power as headmaster), his Firebolt over his shoulder.

Ginny, who had tried out for Chaser that year and was discovered to be "the best since James Potter", was already on her broom, hovering gently a few feet from the ground. Ron was soaring around the goalposts, occasionally doing a flip or two. Since he had helped Gryffindor attain the Quidditch Cup last year, Ron had become more confident (incredibly so), and ergo, much better.

Katie Bell, who had been named Captain of the team this year, was standing in the middle of the field, looking tiredly at Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper, the team Beaters, who were using their clubs to smash up bugs in the grass. Harry had admittedly been a bit skeptical when his former Captain Angelina Johnson had told him that Kirke and Sloper were stupid, but after Harry rejoined the team, he'd seen just how right she was.

"Merlin, Angelina's tough," Katie grumbled as Harry approached her. "She had to put up with these two."

These words she said very often.

Ginny touched down beside Harry. "Whose turn is it?"

Harry gestured to the two boys. "Yours, I believe."

Ginny and Harry were the official get-Kirke-and-Sloper-to-practice people. They took turns doing this.

Ginny headed over. "Andrew. Jack." Her voice took on a commanding tone.

"You know, we can still hold tryouts," Harry quipped.

"Might be a nice idea," Katie replied darkly as Ginny finally coaxed the boys out of their fun.

xxxxxxxxxx

The practice went considerably well, despite the fact that Kirke managed to knock himself out with his own bat again. Katie, annoyed but obliged to do so, had accompanied him to the hospital wing (by levitating him onto one of many stretchers she'd started keeping in the locker room). But she wasn't letting her not being there get in the way of practice.

So she'd left Harry in charge of the entire Gryffindor team.

As the rest of the members headed for the showers after, Ginny hung back to wait for Harry.

"You did a great job of leading us today, Harry."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Gin." He fell into step beside her.

"How's your first taste of being Quidditch Captain?"

"Kind of weird, being the one bossing others around" (Ginny rolled her eyes at this part, as in the past year, Harry had done a lot of bossing around) "instead of being the one taking orders." He suddenly thought of something. "Was I too bossy? Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to do that turn a different way earlier…"

Ginny quickly shook her head. "Oh no! I didn't mind in the least. Besides, that was excellent advice."

"Whew—wait, I don't even know why I'm thinking like this. I don't even know whether I'm going to become Captain. I'm kidding myself."

Ginny looked like she was struggling to hold in laughter. "I agree with the last part, certainly. Harry, you are kidding yourself if you think for one second that you won't be Captain after Katie leaves. I'd've thought that after so many years on this team, you'd know how the Captains are chosen. You're the most senior member (well, after Katie), and you know the game best. I mean, just look at yourself today. You have a natural flair for leadership, and I know that there is no one else that will make a better Captain."

Harry grinned and drew Ginny into a quick hug. "And you have a natural flair for encouragement. Thanks, Gin."

Ginny saluted, grinning back. "Anytime…sir."

XXXXX

A/N#2: PRAISE BE TO THE LORD!

And to my reviewers:

**HPbabe143**- Thanks:)

**Flavagurl**- Oh…I'm sorry about your uncle. He sounds like a really great guy. My great-uncle actually also died from cancer…

**Black Diamond4**- Thanks:)

**Peanutilover**- Thanks:) And yeah, he was a nice guy. He was always really concerned for me, and I remember he always used to give me orange-flavored lollipops whenever I saw him… OK, I'm babbling too. :D

**Ehlonna**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- If by hardcore fluff you meant kissing, very very very sorry, but it won't come yet. I know that it is maddening to have to wait (I once watched a TV series wherein it took the guy and the girl TWENTY-SIX episodes to lightly brush lips) but when the Big Scene happens, I promise you that it'll be worth it. :) The next few chapters will have some sweet D/Hr moments, though…

**Red and Gold**- Thanks!

**Trapped-in-a-dream**- Thanks:)

**Stargirl1066lkl**- Thanks:)

**Alcapacien**- Thanks:)

**Crimson Girl**- Whew:D Thanks:)

**Cold-eyes-for-you**- Thanks:)

**Goodybad**- There won't be any Harry-versus-Draco action—I'm really sorry to disappoint you…please forgive me. I'll be trying to fit in some more Quidditch matches, although I'm not sure if I'll be able to. As for the Gryffindor-winning-by-goals plan, I won't be using that, sadly, because I've already done that in one of my other stories, and I don't want to repeat it again… Thanks for the suggestion, though. :)

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:)

Next: Revelations...


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: In this story, it is the first time since fifth year that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw face off in Quidditch.

Chapter 16

"Are you ready for the match?" Hermione asked Harry, Ron, and Ginny conversationally as she spread marmalade on her toast.

Actually, this was a question she did not need to ask. Hermione had been to every Gryffindor practice Disillusioned, watching out for Harry. (She had banned Draco from the field during these times)

Ginny picked at her toast.

"Why the look?" Ron grabbed the toast from his sister and inhaling it in one gulp. "You're bloody brilliant."

Harry was stabbing listlessly at his bacon, a look of worry on his face.

"Not you too!" Ron exclaimed. "Harry, Chang's got nothing on you! Lighten up!"

Harry snuck a very hesitant glance over at the Ravenclaw table, where Cho was sitting.

"It's not that," he finally mumbled.

Ginny followed his gaze. "Oh…it's about coming face-to-face with Cho again, is it?"

"Harry, I thought you were over her!" Ron exclaimed, spewing half-chewed bits of grilled tomato all over Artie Anders.

"Ron, would you _please_ buy a clue?" Hermione started in exasperation.

Harry prevented another big argument by making things clear. "Yes, I am. It's just that…we left things quite uncomfortable last year…and …"

"And it'll be more than a bit distracting for both of you as there's a lot of tension," Ginny deduced. "Ah."

Just then, Katie called the team outside.

As the red-robed group marched onto the field, Cho, who had been named Captain of the Ravenclaw team, led her group to the middle of the field.

Even as she and Katie shook hands, Cho's eyes went to Harry.

He fidgeted, even more uneasy than before.

"Good luck," she said to him quietly, a small smile on her face.

Harry felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, feeling relieved. "Same to you."

xxxxxxxxxx

As they lifted off the ground, Ron leaned over and reminded Harry yet again that Professor Greenleaf was watching, before zooming off to his spot at the goalposts.

Harry's spirits soared when he glanced over at the bleachers and saw the professor beaming at him.

Down below, Ginny was doing loop-the-loops to ease her nervousness, just like Harry had taught her to. The red-haired girl caught his eye, grinned, and gave him a thumbs-up.

When the whistle blew, everyone went into action.

Sounds of swooping filled the air. Harry watched in admiration as Ginny stole the Quaffle from a Ravenclaw Chaser and scored.

Cheers filled the air.

Suddenly, Cho dived. Harry followed instantly, thinking she had seen the Snitch.

It wasn't.

Cho would've plummeted all the way to the ground had Ginny not been passing by underneath.

Making a split-second decision, the Weasley girl dropped the Quaffle and carefully maneuvered her broom. The Ravenclaw Seeker landed right on it. Harry caught Cho's Comet in his hand and both Gryffindors zoomed towards the ground. The players had by now stopped—only the Beaters made a few occasional swats to prevent more casualties.

The teachers were waiting to check on Cho, and Dumbledore finally reported that she appeared to have been Stunned and needed to be brought to the hospital wing.

The Ravenclaws looked deeply upset. Without a Seeker, they were lost.

The Snitch fluttered onto Ginny's head just then. The Ravenclaw players looked at each other for a second before Terry Boot motioned for Harry to take it.

Not without a great twinge of guilt, Harry quietly snatched the golden ball from there.

Ron landed onto the field. "That was short."

xxxxxxxxxx

Not quite so hidden on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, a black-clad figure hung on for dear life to a tree branch.

"That," he gasped, "is the last time I Stun bunny rabbits while sitting in a tree."

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione entered the library that evening. (Cho Chang had woken up a while after the match ended, and she was, other than deeply disappointed, fine. She'd thanked Ginny for the rescue and Harry for getting her broom) She had asked Draco to meet her there so that they could discuss what happened at the field earlier.

The blond Slytherin was immersed in a big thick book on goblin wars. Hermione blinked. She didn't realize that Draco found the subject fascinating.

Draco slammed the book shut when he saw Hermione's bushy hair out of the corner of his eye.

He would never be caught dead by her reading…

"What do you think happened there?" he barked.

"What else?" she shot back. "Death Eater. My guess is, he was aiming for Harry but slipped and hit Cho instead."

"Uh-huh." Draco's nose was buried in his book again. He was getting to good part…

"Malfoy! What on earth is with you?"

Draco pulled his nose back out. "Granger, booing Potter has made me very tired. So forgive me if I find myself unable to pay attention to your blathering."

Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. "Fine. Suit yourself."

She made for the library doors. "You're not the only one who needs rest, you annoying jerk…"

She was quite unaware of a pair of iron-colored eyes that were simultaneously following and trying not to follow her.

xxxxxxxxxx

There was something Draco Malfoy would never admit to anyone.

It may have been the teasing, the lifesaving, the skiving off of classes.

But he was beginning to actually respect Hermione Granger.

He, despite his efforts not to, found himself admiring her fearlessness and courage when dealing with the Dark Lord's minions.

Found himself being impressed by her intelligence and wit, instead of bitingly envious.

Found himself amazed as she kept on saving his skin again and again, despite the fact that he was her enemy.

And by golly, she had GUTS.

It was getting easier and easier for Draco to treat Hermione (as per their truce) as more than a mere lower-class creature. In fact, it was now the opposite. He actually had to bite his tongue to keep from speaking to her in a friendly manner.

Besides, the name Hermione wasn't so bad…

XXXXX

A/N: ALL GLORY GOES TO GOD….

And to my dear reviewers:

**American Deer Hunter 73**- Thanks:)

**Flavagurl**- Yes, Harry and Ginny will get together in this fic. Things between them will be happening mostly in the background, though… :)

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:)

**Rose**- Wow, thanks:)

**MeLiO**- It's okay:)

**Kiwi-San**- Thanks:)

**Sam**- Thanks:)

**Delayed Action Ninja**- We-ell, it's not quite _goodness_…sorry. But the next couple of chapters, especially the 18th chap, will be rife with Draco/Hermione sweetness. As for the kissing, I'm really hoping it won't take that long…am doing my best to make sure it doesn't come to that. :D

**Future movie maker**- Thanks:)

Ehlonna- Thanks:)

**Charlotte-** Thanks:)

**Goodybad**- Oh no, your idea was by no means stupid, I assure you. It was simply that I'd already used it. :) I know nothing much went on in the last chappie, but it was a bit important because I wanted to establish the friendship between Greenleaf and the Trio, which will be vital to a turning point in Draco and Hermione's relationship. :)

**Tanith Draven**- Kudos to you:) You were the only one who noticed the absence of Hermione's FOTR. The book makes an appearance in here… ;)

Next up: It's a curse! A terrible curse!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Sorry for the wait! I was away at Bible camp for a week. :)

Anyway, moving on…

Chapter 17

Draco and Hermione were walking down the corridors for stakeout duty when they were attacked.

It was now January, after the Hogwarts students had returned from the Christmas holidays. The Slytherin and the Gryffindor were, for the first time, having a proper conversation. Hermione found Draco surprisingly nice to talk to. He was a well-rounded person, and she found him to be rather bright.

They had just moved on to a new topic (whether Professor Binns should or should not be replaced) when from out of the shadows appeared a tall man clad in black.

Draco and Hermione pulled forth their battle weapons.

"You," growled the Death Eater.

Draco didn't stop to chat. He shouted out a jinx.

This Death Eater was far better than the others. He sidestepped the curse easily.

"I don't think the Dark Lord approves of this new side you are taking, Mr. Malfoy."

As quickly as a Pidgeot (Pokemon! Yeah:D) which had just spotted its prey, the guy screamed some lines of gibberish.

Some lines of gibberish they were, though. Draco was hurled backward. He hit the wall with a loud and sickening thump.

Hermione started to retaliate, but to her surprise the man had…gone. Only his voice, disembodied and ghost-like, floated through the air.

"He's been hit by my new and patented Regression Curse. One hour from now, he will have the brains and emotional stability of a five-year-old. Soon, he'll be like a baby…then he dies. There's no countercurse for it…By the way, this is a recording (don't bother asking how), so don't bother looking for me as I will have gone on to the darkness yonder…"

Hermione was stricken with horror and panic.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione was walking a finally-conscious Draco to Dumbledore's office. Wincing, she could see the evil curse already beginning to work its foul magic. Already, he was deteriorating. She could see the pompous little brat she had smacked in the face three years ago returning to the surface.

"What do you think you're doing, dragging me around like this?" Draco whined from behind her. "Just wait until my father hears about this!"

"And you are a pompous git. So shut it or I'll be forced to drop-kick you out of this school." Hermione looked at her watch and pushed on towards her goal.

xxxxxxxxxx

"—And that was what happened," Hermione concluded.

The headmaster looked concerned. "And where is Mr. Malfoy?"

"Outside your office, sir. I asked him to wait there while I talked to you." She allowed herself a small smirk. "It wasn't a problem—he was too fascinated with the gargoyles at your door to fight me on the matter. Shall I call him in?"

"Please do."

She headed outside.

"Mal—Draco?"

There was no response. Hermione when she saw that the corridor was empty.

"MALFOY!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry came out of Divination to a shocked crowd. Curious, he pushed his way through.

"What the—"

His voice trailed off.

Draco Malfoy was squatting atop a statue. His school tie dangled from one hand, and he occasionally yanked it up before lowering it again.

"What are you doing?" Harry screamed up at him.

"Fishing," Draco replied innocently.

"Huh?" everyone exclaimed at the same time.

Harry saw the childlike fascination in Draco's eyes as he continued to toy with his makeshift fishing rod.

"He's gone stark raving mad."

Harry took a couple of deep breaths to compose himself and willed a kind smile onto his face. He just knew he was going to regret this.

"Malfoy—erm, Draco. Come down from there. It's dangerous."

Draco shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want to. I'm scared."

"Here, climb onto my shoulders. I'll take you to see Professor Dumbledore. Wouldn't that be nice? He'll give you a big lollipop."

"Strawberry?"

"Strawberry."

Draco looked a bit uncertain. "Be careful."

"I will, don't worry," Harry promised. "OK, now take my hands and sit properly."

Slowly, Draco lowered himself onto Harry's shoulders. The black-haired boy staggered under the weight, but he managed to keep himself upright.

The crowd opened up a path for them. Harry took one step, then another—

_CRASH!_

Harry's knees buckled and he fell, pitching Draco forward.

"Ow! Hey!" Draco whined. "You said you'd be careful!"

"Draco!" Hermione ran up. "There you are!"

Harry was completely appalled as Draco looked up at Hermione with wide, innocent eyes.

"Let's go to Uncle Dumbledore, OK?" Hermione said gently to Draco. "Harry, help me keep an eye on him until we get there, please?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

They left the stunned crowd behind.

"What's with him?" Harry asked. "And what's going on?" He looked his best friend in the eye.

Hermione swallowed. "Erm, shall we get to Dumbledore first?"

Harry decided not to argue. "Fine. But you'll be telling me. By the way, Hermione, I think you should've gone with _Grandpa_ Dumbledore…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Dumbledore shook his head. "Our cover is blown. Voldemort will know by now that Mr. Malfoy is fighting for the light."

"What exactly is going on?" Harry piped up.

Hermione waved one of the headmaster's silver trinkets in front of Draco's nose. "Has any counterjinx been found, sir?"

"What exactly is going on?" Harry asked.

"I have put the professors on the case, but I have yet to receive word from them," the aged wizard replied.

"What exactly is going on?" Harry repeated.

"Miss Granger, would you mind bringing Mr. Malfoy to some place where he can enjoy his childhood?" Dumbledore asked brightly. "There's something I must clear with Harry."

"Toy store!" Draco squealed.

The others cringed.

"I'll never get used to hearing a grown man _squeal_," Dumbledore muttered.

XXXXX

A/N: For being with me through it all, from the mountains to the valley, I praise and thank my Lord Jesus Christ.

The idea for the Regression Curse comes from one of my favorite Cantonese movies, _Future Cops_, starring Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, and Aaron Kwok.

And to my reviewers:

**Me**- Great theory:)) Sadly, that's not the case—Artie Anders is just a normal Gryffindor first-year who just happens to look wimpy.

**American Deer Hunter 73**- Thanks:)

**Kiwi-San**- Thanks:) Sure, I'd love to check out that site! Could you post the link again, though? It's not showing up…

**Flavagurl**- Thanks:)

**Rose**- Thanks:)

**Sissified**- Thanks:) Sadly, I'm not sure if there will be any more scenes like that

**Cold-eyes-for-you**- Thanks:) It's OK—your review cheers me all the same

**Lazy**- Thanks:)

**I hate you**- With all due respect, I don't think I am. If the problem is that I like Harry Potter, I do because I don't think the books themselves are bad. It is only when taken and used improperly that it becomes bad—as with much literature. For me, Harry Potter is just that—a book, and the Potterverse is just a unique setting. I love and respect God dearly, and for the writing ability He has given me, I continue to accord to Him the thanks He deserves.

**Peanutilover**- Thanks:)

**xOxOkIsSmYaSsXoXo-** Thanks:)

**Sacagawea**- Thanks:) And don't worry, that was not stupid at all—I say that a lot too

**Badbunny-** Thanks:)

**Red and Gold**- Thanks:)

**Goodybad**- Thanks:) That guy was just a random Death Eater who was supposed to be watching Harry. He got bored, and decided to have a little fun with the bunnies. :))

**Future movie maker**- Thanks:) The dark-clad person was a Death Eater who slipped while Stunning bunny rabbits from up in a tree. :D

**Crimson Girl**- Thanks:)

Coming up: Oh, the sweetness…


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"I'm so tired," Draco complained.

He and Hermione were at an amusement park. Draco was on his tenth go on the merry-go-round.

Hermione patted his hand. "Then we'll get off."

"Wait; one more time, OK?" Draco pleaded.

Hermione nodded. "OK. As you like."

They rode in silence for a while.

"I want to hear the story again," Draco piped up.

"What story?" Hermione asked gently.

"The one with the little people and big gold ring."

Hermione was surprised. That sounded very familiar…

Then she flashed back to a scene at the beginning of the year—when Draco accosted her in the train compartment.

HE HAD ACTUALLY READ IT?

"Hermione?" Draco's childlike voice floated through the air. "Can you tell me what happened to the little people?"

Smiling, Hermione nodded.

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry flopped down into an armchair as he took in what Dumbledore had just revealed.

"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"

"Because we all knew you'd fly off the handle." Dumbledore shrugged. "You've always balked at accepting help. Especially if the help was going to come from Mr. Malfoy."

"Who wouldn't? It's _Malfoy!"_

"You certainly could show a shred or two of gratitude. After all, he has very well kept you alive for the past few months." Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "Now that everything is peachy, would you mind calling Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy back?"

Harry glared at the headmaster, whose blue eyes were twinkling cheerfully. Grumbling, Harry headed for the door. He knew when he was beaten.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione and Draco had gotten off the merry-go-round. Actually, Hermione had had to drag Draco off because the boy had hardly any energy left to stand. She sat him down on a nearby stool. She knew what was happening, and her heart was heavy with the realization.

"It hurts," Draco moaned. Then his eyes, which had been shut, opened and fixed a clear gray gaze upon her. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

For a moment, he sounded—and looked—like Draco again.

Hermione's eyes welled up unexpectedly. "No, you're not. You're going to graduate from Hogwarts, you're going to be a hero in the wizarding world, and you'll have four kids named Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin."

Draco looked concerned and lifted his hand to brush the tears from her eyes. "Don't cry."

Hermione blinked back the teardrops. "No, I'm fine."

"I'll marry you if you want.I don't want to see you sad."

Suddenly, Hermione caught a flash of pale blond hair. At the same time, a jet of blue light hit Draco.

"Lucius Malfoy!"

"I'm right here."

Hermione whirled, her wand drawn. The right-hand man of Voldemort stood a few feet behind her, his eyes glinting coldly.

"What have you done to him?" Hermione demanded.

Lucius lowered his wand. "That was the countercurse to the Regression Curse. No matter what, he is still my son," he almost whispered.

Hermione was speechless.

"But tell him that when I come to a duel with him next time, I will show no more mercy. Be careful."

With a swish of his cloak, Lucius was gone.

Draco was waking up. He shook his head and opened his eyes.

"What happened?"

"Draco!" Hermione had never been so happy to see him alive, well, and normal. "You're all right!"

Draco looked surprised by Hermione's concern (although he was secretly pleased). "Of course I am! Again, what happened?"

"You don't remember?" There was a sigh of relief from the bushy-haired teenager.

"Oh yeah! I was going to graduate from Hogwarts, be a hero of the wizarding world, and have four kids named Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin!" Draco grinned. "Right."

"Oh, shut up," Hermione grumbled, her face red.

Harry Apparated into the park just then, his expression sour.

"Dumbledore said you can go back now."

"Harry." Hermione laid a hand on her best friend's shoulder.

He shrugged her hand away.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Draco looked peeved. "Potter, you are the swell-headed birdbrain I have ever had the misfortune to meet."

"Oh, you're well—I mean worse again. Now why would you say that?"

"Scarhead, news flash: You can't save the world by yourself. Everyone else had enough sense to know that, and stuck their necks out to help you. Be glad for it, instead of hemming and hawing about the fact that you are the damsel in distress this time."

Harry had drawn his wand, his eyes blazing.

Hermione stepped between them again, but Draco nudged her out of the way.

"If Potter wants to hex me, let him hex."

Harry's hand quivered.

"You want to fight this war by yourself? OK. Go. I for one have no objections. I'm sure your amazing powers can save you from a few dozen giants, a couple hundred Death Eaters, oh, and the Dark Lord himself. We'll just sit around and wait for the results."

Harry, with much effort, lowered his weapon.

"Come on," he barked. "We're in public."

Draco let out a snort of victory, and almost unconsciously slung his arm protectively around Hermione's shoulders as they Apparated away.

A/N: THANKS BE TO GOD!

Mostof this chapter was very highly inspired by _Future Cops_.

And to my reviewers:

**Cold-eyes-for-you, Badbunny, Red and Gold, rose, **and **Flavagurl**- Thanks:)

**Shannon**- Yeah, but I think there's no reason why Hermione should think it strange. After all, there are a lot of weird surnames out there. Thanks:)

**Ehlonna-** Oh yeah, I have no idea why it always comes out like that too. :) And I put that Harry helped Draco because despite the fact that our dear hero hates Draco, he's still a good guy at heart.

**Foxeran-** Kudos to you for remembering the book:)

**Crimson Girl**- The idea for the curse came from a Cantonese movie I love called _Future Cops_. :)

**Goodybad**- Thanks:) Anyway, Bible camp is kind of like a week-long retreat where you learn more about God through activities like Bible study, messages, and games. :)

**Future movie maker**- Good one:) But I don't really want them to kiss under such circumstances. I'm still saving the first kiss for something better… ;)

Coming up: The return of the (mention) of the Scorching Sweets and more sweets…


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Really really sorry for the late update! I was really sick all week, and I had to deal with a lot of deadlines due to it.

Now, on with the show…

Chapter 19

Hermione was trying to talk to Harry.

"Harry."

"What's got his goat?" Ron wanted to know. "It's not because I've been a bit chummy with Seamus and Dean lately, is it? Oh no, it is!"

Hermione shook her head. "It's not that, Ron. It's…me."

"He didn't catch Malfoy snogging you in the corridor, did he? Because I'd kill you myself."

"No."

"Happen to be on the receiving end of one of your hour-long lectures on proper school behavior?"

_"No."_

"You killed Hedwig with his Firebolt and then threw it at the Whomping Willow!" Ron brightened. "That's it!"

"Ron." Hermione wanted to chuckle, but things were still a little too serious for that.

"What I want to know," Harry finally growled from his spot in an armchair before the common room's roaring fire, "is how could you not have told me."

"Told him what?" Ron was puzzled. Then it dawned, and his face reddened. He began to edge away from Harry.

"Harry, you know exactly why we didn't! Because you would react this way!" Hermione tried to be as placating as she possibly could, but she could not stop her voice from rising.

Harry rose abruptly from his armchair and stalked out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxx

Ginny was sitting in the snow when Harry came out. Feeling a bit foolish to be caught there playing in the white slush like a child, Ginny contemplated how she was going to slip past him without being seen.

As she moved closer, she realized that she needn't have worried. Harry appeared to be oblivious to her existence.

"Harry?"

He kicked at the snow lying at his feet. "Oh. Hey, Gin."

His voice was so sullen, Ginny noted. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't speak for a moment. Then, "Hermione."

"What about Hermione?"

It all came spilling out: the bodyguarding, Draco, arriving at an amusement park and seeing Hermione with tears in her eyes as she and Draco stared at each other.

Ginny was surprised, and pleasantly so. "So you…like Hermione." Even as she said it, she felt absolutely crushed.

"…and then she actually _raised her voice at me_," Harry prattled on. "Honestly, that girl…I'm sorry, you were saying, Gin?"

Ginny tried to speak around the huge lump in her throat.

"Are you OK? You look a bit peaky."

Ginny forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Harry."

"Anyway, sorry you had to endure me. You're a really good listener." Harry gave her a quick hug. "I guess I'll go apologize to Hermione. I _was_ a bit silly…"

Ginny nodded. "You do that."

Harry jumped to his feet and ran for the castle.

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco edged into the library that evening. He had a mission this night.

She was sitting at a table. Piles of books crowded her as she copied feverishly onto a piece of parchment.

"Yiiii!" she yelped when Draco dropped his books onto the table with a great bang.

"Is that for Potions?" he asked with interest.

Hermione scowled.

Draco flung himself onto the chair opposite her and grasped her hand. "So, where do you think we should move after Frodo's born? Italy? France?"

"You're not going to let up, are you?"

"Nope," Draco chirped. "I tell you, that comment's going down in the annals of history, love."

She snatched her hand away. "Shut up. And stop calling me love because I am _not_ your love."

"Don't worry—no one's here. There's no need to keep your feelings hidden."

She raised a single eyebrow. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"My homework. Duh."

Hermione returned to the big thick book she was perusing, trying to find something about the magical uses of lavender flowers.

Draco leaned over to skim her essay. "Oh, lavender? They're normally used in…"

Hermione stared at him.

"Why aren't you copying?"

"Oh." Hermione fumbled for her quill.

"The Slytherins pulled a prank and checked out all the books concerning lavenders," Draco explained. "Needless to say, Madam Pince was so shocked, she had to go lie down with a cool cloth for a while."

"So it was you! You—"

"It was Pansy!" he cried.

Hermione tried to smother a smile as Draco threw his hands up in front of his face as if protecting himself.

"I thought you might need help, so I came by," he finished, calming down.

"Oh." Hermione resumed writing. "Won't they beat you to a bloody pulp for ruining their little joke?"

"I'd like to see them try."

"They might."

"I'll be ready. A couple of Scorching Sweets'll fix them."

"Weasley products, Malfoy? Have you sunk to a new low?"

"Whatever it takes."

"You are a traitor to your cause, you know."

"So what?"

Hermione had to admit she was impressed. "What have you been hooked on? With the kind of words you're saying, one would almost think you've converted to Gryffindorism."

"Yech. Blech." Draco pretended to gag.

Hermione tsk-tsked. "So sad to know."

"I am a Slytherin, miss, and proud of it."

They eventually broke off the conversation to return to their homework. Amidst the scratching of their quills, Hermione found herself peeking at the blond haired boy every so often…

XXXXX

A/N: THANKS BE TO GOD!

And to:

**Cold-eyes-for-you, tru, sllug92, Red and Gold, Flavagurl, American Deer Hunter 73, Cow as White as Milk, Tinaton aka Blat, rose, Sacagawea, Tinka Shimmer Belle, kurisu- **Thanks:)

**Badbunny-** No, I didn't mean it like that. Cold-eyes-for-you is just one of my reviewers. :D Thanks:)

**Crimson Girl-** Thanks! No, I'm not Cantonese, but I saw the movie on a Chinese movie channel, Star Mandarin. :)

**Goodybad**- Well, to each his own, right? Anyway, Frodo, Sam , Merry, and Pippin are four big characters in LOTR, and since Draco had just revealed that he read that LOTR book he stole from Hermione… Well, no matter what, Lucius is still a dad who loves his son. :)

**Future movie maker**- Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin are four major characters in LOTR. :)

Next on: The professor's past…and a big fight…


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I am so so sorry! I know, you can hit me now. I HAVEN'T UPDATED FOR THREE WEEKS! It's just that I recently started college, and things have been pretty hectic, what with me having to get used to college life and the assignments and all…

Here we go…

Chapter 20

Pansy snuck into Professor Greenleaf's office.

She was serving detention with the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, cleaning the windows she had splattered with pink goo earlier. With a _rag_, no less.

Pansy Parkinson was not going to take that lying down.

So when the professor had stepped outside for a bit, Pansy seized her chance.

The Slytherin girl started rifling through the desk. She tossed aside a dead flower and a bunch of parchments.

_Aha._

Pansy's eyes glinted as she picked up an old photograph. In it were a much younger Professor Greenleaf and a handsome young man with great hair.

The girl turned the photo over, hoping to find something.

Her jaw dropped. She had not been expecting something of this magnitude at all.

But, not that she minded.

Pansy quickly duplicated the picture and put everything back. When Professor Greenleaf reentered the classroom, Pansy was back at work.

She didn't clean those windows without a certain flair, though. In her mind's eye, she could already see the headlines.

Headlines that would get the teacher kicked out.

xxxxxxxxxx

Whispers permeated the hallway outside the Great Hall the next morning. Someone had mysteriously tacked up a picture.

A picture of Professor Greenleaf—with a man identified as Sirius Black.

The professor pushed through the crowd, ignoring the stares, to see what was going on.

When she saw the photo, her hand flew up to her mouth.

A look of horror, pain, and sorrow flashed in her eyes—and for the first time, stayed there.

Her students—the very people she'd taught Defense Against the Dark Arts to for nearly a half-year—began to edge away from her.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione (they were all OK with each other again) came down just then. Their eyes widened at the sight of the display.

Harry felt something inside of him tear apart as Professor Greenleaf's slim frame started to shake. He had long since given up on her—it was far too impossible—but she had become like a sister to him. She'd become like _family_. Like Sirius.

And it pained him to see her cry.

"'Always and forever, Sirius'," Ron read from the back of the picture. "Whoa. You went out with Sirius? _Sirius?"_

"Shut it, Ron," Hermione snapped. "Now's not the time."

Harry awkwardly put a hand on Professor Greenleaf's back and patted it, not really knowing what to say. To his great surprise, the lovely professor threw her arms around his neck, making him even more flustered.

In a single quick motion, Ron tore the picture off.

"The damage is done, though," he said. "Within five minutes, everyone'll know."

"Let's take you back to your office, Professor," Harry suggested. "We'll just bring breakfast to you. You shouldn't be facing all those people right now."

Professor Greenleaf didn't rail against the idea, so solemnly, they walked her there.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Did you see that display?" Draco asked Hermione the moment the door to their classroom closed behind them.

Hermione nodded wordlessly.

She was very worried about the professor. When she, Harry, and Ron had gotten her to her office, the woman had assured them she was fine, but Hermione could see she wasn't. Her green eyes were hollow and sad, and all the energy seemed to have drained out of her. Hermione wondered if she'd even mustered up the strength to teach.

"What did you think?" Draco pressed.

"That it was a horrible attempt to slander a perfectly good person," she spat. "'A servant of the Dark Lord'? Just because she and Sirius were together once? That's so ridiculous."

Draco was quiet for a moment. Then he revealed his thoughts. "I think they're right."

"WHAT?" Hermione was appalled. "Are you mad? This is _Professor Greenleaf_ we're talking about. Besides, I thought we were clear about Sirius being _innocent?"_

"I don't mean because of her being linked to Sirius," Draco responded calmly. "I have been thinking for a long time. And I don't think this woman is to be trusted."

"You—"

"Granger, where did we have our first encounter with the Dark Lord's traps?"

"The Defense classroom," Hermione replied. "And?"

"Where were we almost stabbed to death by knives?"

"The…Defense classroom." It was clicking in her brain. But she knew it was impossible. It had to be. "It's got to be a coincidence, Malfoy."

"You said it yourself. That was a Muggle method. Hermione, did the professor ever tell you anything about her lineage?"

"She was a half-blood…raised in a Muggle household," Hermione almost whispered. She'd realized something else.

Draco's voice became sharp. "You know something else, don't you? Something _incriminating_."

Hermione mastered herself. "Professor Greenleaf is my friend. And I trust that friendship."

Draco let out a snort of disgust. "Oh, for Merlin's sake! You know, you and your little friends are so easily duped. All that woman had to do was shimmy into the scene with a little charm and you sucked it up. Like you ALWAYS do."

Hermione's eyes had narrowed. "So we're stupid for trusting a friend, is that what you're saying?"

The blond boy sneered. "You can't always trust friendship, Granger. It'll only let you down."

"I'm sorry if you've never had any real friends, but don't say anything about mine!"

She struck a nerve. Draco's eyes clouded over with an emotion she'd never seen come from him before—hurt.

"You know, I'm glad I never did." With that, he stormed away, leaving Hermione stricken with guilt as she watched his back go farther and farther away.

xxxxxxxxxx

In the Defense classroom, things were not going well for Professor Greenleaf. Her students were surveying her with narrowed, distrustful eyes. It was more than she could bear.

She finally stopped trying to teach.

"I can see that we're not going to go anywhere today," she announced, doing her best to keep the shake out of her voice. "Alright. You're all dismissed."

As the sixth-year Ravenclaws filed out (practically ran for it was actually more appropriate), Professor Greenleaf could hear their conversations.

"No wonder, she never bothered to teach us anything important—"

"_You-Know-Who's woman, _I tell you! Dumbledore's really losing it—"

And the most painful of all—

"Poor Harry! I mean, he looks up to her so much—"

Professor Greenleaf shut the door, blocking it all out.

"Difficult time, isn't it?"

The professor whirled around to see a kindly old man sitting at her desk.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

The Headmaster smiled, a bit sadly. "We've all been through this. _He's_ been through this."

A tear trickled down her cheek. "I don't want to remember it all anymore!"

"You couldn't have hidden from your past forever." Dumbledore rose to make his exit. Producing a tissue out of thin air, he handed it to Professor Greenleaf. "I think there are certain people who need to know, don't you think?"

XXXXX

A/N: THANKS BE TO GOD, WITHOUT WHOM I'D STILL BE IN DEPRESSION…

A scene here was inspired by the Taiwanese TV drama _Peach Girl._

And to my loyal and patient and wonderful reviewers:

Rani singala- I think it's kind of the other way around. :) Thanks:)

Ehlonna- Thanks:) Yeah, I loved that line too—it was totally priceless. :D

Rose, Cold-eyes-for-you, future movie maker, The Lady of the 4leafed Clover, Red and Gold, queenofthelameos, Sacagawea, - Thanks:)

Stephanie Miss- Your wish is my command. :)

Kurisu- Thanks for your concern. :) Sorry if you thought the last chapter was a bit thin—I was using it to establish how good Draco and Hermione's relationship (not yet in the romantic sense, though) has become, before…the fight. :)

Zandra Phillips- Wow, a kindred soul:) Thanks:)

Harry fan- Wow…wee. Thanks a lot—I'm so honored. :) I'm a long way from becoming the next J.K., but thanks so much for the encouragement. :)

Goodybad- Ouch! I know how that feels—I've got loads of homework already, and I'm only in my third week of college. How am I supposed to survive the year:))

Next up: Tying up the loose ends…and a confession. ;)


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: In here, Harry and Ron are still being taught Divination by Trelawney.

Chapter 22

Hermione walked to the Divination classroom alone.

_Why did I say that? Hermione, you big idiot,_ she berated herself. It was no secret to her that Draco led a rather lonely existence, but she hadn't needed to rub it in.

"But he had absolutely no right to judge Professor Greenleaf like that," she argued. "She would never hurt Harry…"

_You must admit, his theory is not completely groundless, _her inner voice said silkily. _Even you've got evidence supporting it. The woman told you she was good with TRAPS._

"She's a good person," Hermione shot back.

But she had to admit, it was not so easy to believe that anymore.

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry drummed his fingers impatiently on the table. He couldn't wait for Divination to end. He had to see if Professor Greenleaf was OK.

"You want to skive?" Ron muttered. "I can tell."

Harry had never felt a greater urge to do so, but common sense had its say.

"I don't she'd be too pleased with me if I did," he sighed. "We should've asked Hermione to check on her." He now knew that his best friend got out of Arithmancy early.

Ron looked put out. "Drat. I would've gone with you."

The moment Professor Trelawney dismissed them, Harry and Ron burst out of their seats. Reaching the staircase first, they started to sprint downstairs, but in Harry's excitement, he slipped on a step.

_Thudthudthudthudthud._

Hermione peered down at a woozy Harry.

"It's not quite as fun, I realize," she commented. "But you know, it's a lot easier to just WALK down the stairs."

xxxxxxxxx

Harry hissed in pain as he rubbed his sore bottom. The three were heading (in his case hobbling) to the Defense classroom, using a shortcut Hermione knew about. Ron was still laughing his head off.

"You should've seen your face!" he hooted. "Oh, that was priceless!"

Harry made a growling noise in his throat. "How 'bout I push you down next time?"

"Boys." Hermione glared reproachfully at them.

Ron suddenly stiffened.

Because headed in their direction was Draco Malfoy.

It was the classic stand-off. Ron and Harry each one of Hermione's shoulders and shoved her behind them. Draco drew his wand.

"All right; enough already." Hermione jumped up and down, trying to see over Ron's and Harry's heads. She felt uneasy when her eye met Draco's, which was still stormy.

The boys didn't budge.

"The—last—thing—we—need—rightnow—is—afight!" Hermione squeaked as she bounced up and down.

"I don't care what you think of that woman," Draco snapped. "But I am turning her in. By the way, Granger, in case you haven't noticed, there's still a huge stretch of corridor around you."

Hermione blinked. "Oh." Stepping around her best friends, she held up her hands.

"What's going on?"

The four students jumped.

The very teacher they had just been talking about was standing before them, eyes narrowed.

"W-We were just on our way to class," Hermione stammered. "Wait a minute…"

"Why aren't you in class?" all five of them asked at the same time.

"I met the other Gryffindors earlier," Professor Greenleaf replied. "I told them class was off for today. Why weren't you three there?"

"Oh, hello!"

All five jumped.

"Professor Dumbledore!"

"Isn't this a wonderful scene," Harry muttered.

Draco had stepped forward. "Professor—not you, _him!_—I believe I have found the spy set on ending Potter's life." He jabbed a finger at Professor Greenleaf.

Hermione buried her face in her hands.

xxxxxxxxxx

They were in the Headmaster's office. Harry and Ron had clamped their hands around Draco's arms to make sure he didn't suddenly launch a hex at the Defense teacher.

"What made you come to this conclusion?" Dumbledore asked gravely.

Draco looked at Hermione. "Granger and I compiled some very suspicious evidence, sir. _Haven't we?"_

Harry and Ron dropped Draco's arms and stared at Hermione in pure shock.

"I didn't!" she cried. "Malfoy did!"

"Hey, you had some too!" Draco shot back.

Dumbledore looked bored. "Enough, Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy." He glanced at his employee. "Regarding that matter, however, I believe Miss Greenleaf has a story to tell. Nicole?"

"Walked right into that one," the professor grumbled.

Dumbledore looked…relieved when she cleared her throat.

"I suppose I owe you—especially you, Mr. Malfoy—a long explanation." She shot Harry a small smile. "I think this would interest you, Harry."

Harry had an inkling he knew what was up.

"All right, then." With that, a tale that had long been buried came to the surface.

XXXXX

A/N: This chap is a bit thin, I admit. But the next chapter will be pretty good, because something I know everyone has been awaiting will come to be…

OF COURSE, THANKS BE TO GOD!

To my dear reviewers:

**Ehlonna, Faerie Fire, **and **Cow as White as Milk**- Her story will be related next… :) Thanks:)

**Sacagawea**- Unfortunately, there are really people like that…sigh. Well, we'll find out… :) Thanks:)

**Rizelle**- TY:)

**Alianna Campell**- Thanks:) Well, we'll see. :)

**Goodybad**- We have midterms already in two weeks! AAAAHHHH! Thanks:)

**The Gryffindor Drummer**- Thanks:)

**40/16**-Yeah, I'm a freshman. :) I still live at home though—the college I go to is pretty near my house. I'm still homesick for high school, haha. :) And OK, I would've found something like that scandalous as well. Thanks:)

**maddie**- Thanks:)

**tru**- Thanks:) Sorry you'll have to wait for the next chapter to know what's up.

Next up: The air is cleared…and FINALLY! ROMANCE!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Harry found himself holding his breath as Professor Greenleaf revealed how yes, she had been in his parents' year at Hogwarts. She had been an old study buddy of Lily Potter's who had been roped into the Marauders' little gang due to a hilariously painful accident that had occurred while James was courting Lily ("So that explains the pranking," Ron muttered). It was through that that she and Sirius had met, and eventually gotten together. Her expression grew bittersweet, though, when she got to the part where Sirius had had her sent away after Voldemort rose to protect her, which explained why she'd been out of the country up until now.

In other words, she was perfectly innocent.

"Feels absolutely wonderful to get it off your chest, doesn't it, Professor?" Dumbledore remarked cheerfully.

It appeared to have. The clouds in her green eyes had dissipated somewhat, and the closed expression she wore a lot was gone.

Harry had slumped in his seat. He did not cry, but his eyes were dark with conflicting emotions.

What an exciting life he led—right after losing a link to his parents, he found another—in the form the woman his godfather had last loved.

He felt a slight blush coming as he remembered the crush he had had only recently on Professor Greenleaf.

Hmmm, he and Sirius had a lot more in common than he thought.

Hermione peeked at Draco to see what he thought of the revelation. His face was its old stoic mask.

Ron looked like he had no idea what he should actually do.

"Well, what say you, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked.

The Slytherin rose, looked the professor in the eye, and apologized for his apparent error. Professor Greenleaf coolly accepted his apology.

"Now that the air is clear," Dumbledore quipped cheerfully, "Nicole, would you mind perhaps staying behind a bit? I believe Mr. Lupin would be most happy to see you back."

"Remus is here?" A bright smile lit up Professor Greenleaf's pretty face.

Harry was surprised. So they hadn't been the only ones in the dark…

He wanted to stick around, but Dumbledore gently pushed him out the door.

In the hallway, Ginny was waiting. Her bright red hair swished back and forth as she paced.

"'Oi!" Ron exclaimed.

"Gin!" Harry called out.

She beamed. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked his sister.

"Classes just ended, and someone said you'd been taken to Dumbledore's office. I thought I'd pop by. What happened anyway?" Her brown eyes lingered on the three boys. "Merlin's beard, you haven't been fighting, have you?"

"No...there was just something that needed to be cleared up." Hermione replied. She shot a glance at Draco.

"Ah." Ginny decided not to pry.

Harry felt the need for some mindless normalcy. Things had been too freaky lately…

In an unprecedented move, he grabbed Ginny's hand. "Want to come with me to the kitchens, Gin? I'm feeling a bit peckish…"

With a shrug and a smile, Ginny followed.

Ron stared, dumbfounded, as his best mate and his sister ran off together.

Draco started to back up. Ron Weasley's extreme protectiveness towards his younger sister was infamous.

"Finally!" Ron crowed.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione entered the library with a bit of trepidation.

She had been half-hoping that Draco was inside. She felt the need to apologize for their argument. But he appeared to be avoiding her.

_Funny,_ Hermione mused. Before the two had been forced to work together on this mission, she couldn't care less about Draco Malfoy's feelings. She'd've felt victory instead of guilt at having stricken him so.

_Why are you concerned anyway? _A sly voice in the back of her mind spoke up. _He insulted you, your friends, and your belief in them. Why waste a tear on him?_

Why, indeed?

With a sigh, she plunked her books down and opened her Transfiguration text.

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco peered around the shelf. Yep, she was there, alright. Starting Transfiguration homework that was due next week.

Pure Hermione.

Draco was feeling quite uneasy about what had happened during their argument, especially after realizing that his accusation against Professor Greenleaf was completely wrong. He had been wrong in insulting her friendships…

_Why are you so concerned? _A sly voice in the back of her mind spoke up. _She insulted you, terribly. Why apologize for anything?_

Why, indeed?

With a sigh, he shifted the bag on his shoulder—and promptly dropped it with a loud bang.

He suddenly found himself staring into a pair of beady eyes.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hermione struggled to hold in her laughter as Madam Pince, forefinger and thumb wrapped very securely around a yelping Draco's ear, marched past her table. Gathering her things, she quickly followed after them.

Draco was rubbing a very red earlobe and shooting dirty looks at the library doors when she caught up with him. Pulling out her wand, Hermione performed a basic healing charm she'd learned a few summers ago.

He looked very surprised, and very uncomfortable.

"Does it feel better?" she asked quietly.

He nodded.

They both trailed off, each never feeling more like bolting.

"I'msorry," Draco muttered under his breath, his face red from the effort.

"Excuse me?"

Draco regained his proud composure. "Perhaps I have been slightly off on certain matters."

Hermione shook her head. Leave it to Draco to never admit he was wrong.

"I suppose I may have been slightly off as well," she replied. "Dwelling on your personal life was impertinent of me."

He was silent. "Perhaps it was not thought of as much, but your comment…affected me quite a bit."

"And yours didn't?" Hermione's voice started to rise in indignation.

"Considering I've been doing it for years, I thought you'd be used to it."

"Oh—you—" Hermione spluttered. Then she caught sight of the mirth in Draco's gray eyes and started to grin.

Grinning with Draco. Now _that_ was a scene.

But not quite as much of a scene as what happened next…Draco Malfoy taking her hand and brushing his lips against her cheek.

XXXXX

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I was having some trouble writing this—at first, it looked like I was going to have to cut the (ahem, _slight) _romance out of the chapter because there seemed to be no place to put it. I'm also aboutto wrapthis story up already—I'm hoping to finish it before the release of HBP. The next chap might be the last…

THANKS BE TO GOD, FOR FIXING MY WRITER'S BLOCK…AND GETTING ME THROUGH A MONTH OF COLLEGE! YAY!

To my dear reviewers:

**American Deer Hunter 73, Sacagawea, Ehlonna, HarryPotterLover242, curlygntx, The Gryffindor Drummer, trapped-in-a-dream**-Thanks:)

**Sissified**- The scene with the professor attempting to teach came from _Peach Girl_. :) And I think the one that starred Stella was Marmalade Boy. It's a great series too:) Thanks:)

**Swtndreamypnay**- Certainly, I shall update :) Thanks:)

**QuietWorld**- Wow, thanks:)

**Rose**- It's OK… :) And I fully sympathize with you. :)

**Steelo**- Thanks a lot… :) I'm guessing this chap will have answered your question, but we still have to wait for Hermione's response… :)

**FaeRie Fire**- Well, Greenleaf's part in the Dramione romance is that she threw a slight wrench in the pair's blossoming friendship, a wrench that when resolved brings them even closer together. :) And she becomes a link to Harry's past.

**Goodybad**- Thanks:) I don't really know the results of my exams yet, but I'm hoping for good ones… :) And yes, here's the scoop on the professor… :)

**Tru**- I'm truly sorry…:D

Next: A good, long talk…


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Sorry for the delay! My PC contracted a virus, and I was forced to write this on my laptop—which has a rather patchy Internet connection.

Chapter 23

"Hermione? Hermione?"

The bushy-haired Gryffindor struggled to open one eye. Three blobs—one black and two red—were hovering above her.

"W-wha?" she mumbled highly intelligently.

"You fainted in the corridor! Are you all right?" one of the red blobs asked.

Hermione's vision finally cleared. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were standing around her in what appeared to be the hospital wing. Ginny was grasping Hermione's hand, concern in her own brown eyes.

"Yes. I-I believe so." Slowly, Hermione sat up. "How did I get here?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Madam Pomfrey didn't say."

Hermione, whose brain had sparked back to life, pieced it together.

Her cheeks began to burn.

Draco.

Madam Pomfrey smiled when she came in and saw Hermione up. "Ah, it appears the color is very much back in your cheeks. Now, you all had better scamper off to your dormitories. It's past curfew already."

Hermione bolted from the bed. "_Past curfew?"_ Her eyes were wide with panic.

"Same old Hermione," her three visitors chorused.

xxxxxxxxxx

After bidding Ginny goodnight (their trek back to Gryffindor Tower had been thankfully uneventful), Hermione flopped onto her bed without changing out of her robes. One hand found its way to her cheek, which was burning again.

Was he on something? Under the Imperius Curse? Was it perhaps some sort of elaborate joke?"

And why was her cheek burning so?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Draco stared into the fireplace of the Slytherin common room. It was very early—three in the morning—but he was simply unable to slumber. He could not believe what he had just done to Hermione.

He didn't deny any longer that he fancied Hermione quite a bit. One just couldn't spend seven months in close proximity with someone and not come to like them.

Apparently, this even applied to people who had been mortal enemies for five years.

The Headmaster was a sly old fox, he was.

But one thing Draco had never imagined was that he would come forward.

It was just against…everything.

He winced. He hoped she had recovered from her fainting spell. Madam Pomfrey had promised she'd be fine, but maybe he ought to pay a visit and see for himself…

_No_, he told himself. At this point, Hermione must be already out of the hospital wing. Besides, the last thing Madam Pomfrey needed at three in the morning was for him to shake her awake. He'd bothered her enough over the past few months.

So, what was to happen now between him and Hermione?

Running a finger over his bottom lip, Draco's brow furrowed worriedly. Should perhaps keep some distance for a while? No, that would make him seem like an insensitive jerk. But maybe she needed some time and space? Was he a boyfriend now? Did she think so?

Giving up on proper rest—his muddled brain was making sure of that—he decided to head to the kitchens. Maybe he'd be able to think better over a bit of buttered toast and kippers…

Draco dressed and strode out to the kitchens, Hermione's book in hand. A favorite (but secret) habit of his was to leisurely enjoy a good book while chomping away. As he stepped into the dark corridor that led to the painting, he inadvertently crashed into something.

A clatter and a loud screech of "Ow, ow, owww!" followed.

Make that someone.

Draco reached for his wand. "_Lumos!"_

The light emanating from the tip of his wand illuminated a peeved Hermione, covered from head to toe in steaming porridge.

"_Scourgify!" _Draco commanded quickly.

The porridge vanished from Hermione's robes, hair, and skin.

"Thanks," she mumbled, averting her chocolate-colored eyes as she brushed at her clothes.

"Um…Kippers?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Breakfast was ready by then, but luckily, no one had thought to come down at four in the morning. Hermione and Draco sat at one table, across from each other. Hermione was stuffing her face with sausages, grilled tomatoes, bacon, and eggs. Draco was staring at her in amazement.

"Hungry?" he asked when she finally stopped to take a drink.

"I didn't eat that much dinner," she answered after a huge swallow.

"How did you get in the kitchens anyway? I thought the house-elves were anti-Granger."

"Well, they _were_ reluctant to let me in, but I assured them I was just peckish and wouldn't be making any speeches."

"Ah." Draco bit into a piece of toast.

They stared into their plates, then Hermione put down her fork.

"We need to talk, Malfoy."

"I know." He met her eyes at first hesitantly, but finally, full on.

"You've become different. Very different," she began very directly.

Draco's eyebrows rose. This was not the speech he'd been expecting.

"Alright; perhaps you are still a cocky, arrogant little wimp of a Slytherin, but you've changed. No Malfoy would ever have willingly helped a "champion of Mudbloods and Muggles". Or been willing to lift a single finger to help out a Muggleborn." She paused to let in sink in. "And I've been wondering for a long time: Why? Why did you change your mind about the dark side?"

Draco stabbed his fork repeatedly into his toast thoughtfully. "My…illusions about that kind of life were shattered."

She waited for him to go on.

"I used to idolize the Dark Lord. The way my father told it, he was an immensely strong wizard, capable of doing unheard-of things with a wand. He was a genius, my father said. Cunning and ambitious, indeed the perfect Slytherin."

Hermione snorted.

"He would talk about Muggle eradication as if it were the most glorious quest ever. And I believed it. But last year, to put it simply, I saw the Dark Lord's world. And it wasn't something I liked at all." He cracked a small grin. "Must've been Dumbledore."

"So you decided to offer your services to Dumbledore just like that?"

"Well, since we all kick the bucket anyway, I thought, I might as well go down for a good cause."

She raised her eyebrows. "I see. I didn't realize you knew the difference."

"Me, a white hat. It's social suicide," he sighed. "Not that it hasn't had its advantages…"

"I'm not done yet," she snarled.

"Yeesh, cool it, woman."

"Why me?"

XXXXX

A/N: Clearly, this is not yet the last chapter. :) There'll still be another…

I was really hoping to end this before HBP, as to not ruin that for you (this one's also set in sixth year), but I don't think it's possible now. I hope you guys will continue to stay with me, though I will understand if you don't…

To my beloved reviewers:

**HarryPotterLover242**- Thanks:) Harry had the crush on Professor Greenleaf at the beginning of the school year until about Christmas. He gave up on her, though, because it's just too unrealistic.

**Ehlonna**- Oh, I'm sorry—I just can't write a story that has no mention of the Marauders. :D Thanks… :)

**Sacagawea, FaeRie Fire, God'sGirl88, curlygntx, tru**, and **The Gryffindor Drummer**- Thanks:)

**Steelo**- Well, she kind of did… :)) I think there'll be about one more chapter, but I'm not sure--I might add to it…

**Goodybad**- Don't cry just yet—it's not yet the end. :) Thanks:)

Next: I'm not really sure what to put here, haha


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry for the very long delay! I've been spending the past weeks rereading HBP over and over and over again (Who else was shocked at what transpired? ;)), and dealing with reports and loads of homework.

Chapter 24

"I'm not pretty, Malfoy. Neither am I rich, or of any benefit to you whatsoever. So why?"

"For starters, love, try calling me Draco. It's not so hard. Only two syllables," Draco replied.

Hermione looked a bit like she wanted to whack him on the noggin with her nearly-empty plate.

"OK, OK, alright." His face became thoughtful. "Why, indeed?"

Hermione flinched in surprise, as she heard him echo her very thoughts.

"Well, as you are undoubtedly well aware, there are loads of girls here far more physically attractive than you, with a spot more sophistication and elegance, and better hair."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Gee, thanks."

"But—here is where I get horribly sappy—I must say I have never met one quite as honorable as you. Sly old fox." The last three words he muttered under his breath. He looked away hastily, but Hermione noticed he looked quite embarrassed and disgruntled.

"And so what if I am?" Hermione was secretly rather pleased. Honorable? Her?

"I value honor," Draco said simply. "It was what every pureblood child has been taught to do."

"Um, I believe you got the wrong instruction manual then. You do realize what kind of 'honor' they speak of?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You and your misconceptions, Hermione, love. We're not just taught 'Vanquish the Mudbloods!' you know. We do have a sense of actual honor amongst ourselves. One of the few good things we've got."

"Funny how well you hide it."

"We're supposed to. We're the bad guys."

"Ah. Well…how'd you come to that conclusion? That I'm…so."

"Let me put it this way: You're someone I can see who wouldn't take me to court and rob me of ten thousand Galleons three days after we get married."

Hermione felt her face redden. "Enough with the references to marriage, Malfoy, because you don't even know that I will." _Although that wouldn't be so bad…_

He grinned. "No denial, then?" He reached across the table and grasped her hand, his expression overly dramatic. She rolled her eyes, and tugged her hand away.

"Oh _great_," he grumbled when they heard footsteps and chattering voices heading towards the Great Hall. "We had better go."

Vanishing their plates of food, they snuck out quickly. Hermione, however, decided to peek and see who had disturbed them.

It was Harry.

He was seated in the very spot she and Draco had just vacated moments ago. And he was not alone. Ginny was with him, and they were chatting happily. Harry looked very much absorbed in his companion, and Hermione had yet to see him look so cheerful.

"Potter and Weasley? Merlin's beard, I'm good," Draco commented. He was peering over Hermione's shoulder. "I guessed this second year." Then his eyes brightened. "Does that mean the Weasel will kill him?"

"You don't have to sound so happy," Hermione hissed. Backing away, she grabbed Draco's wrist. "Let's go."

They decided to return to their respective common rooms, and to Hermione's surprise, Draco insisted on walking her there.

"Um, I think not."

"Why not?"

"Oh, I'm sure no one will react at seeing you walk down the hall with me."

"I'll Disillusion."

"Draco, there's no need."

"Aha!"

Hermione flushed. "Slip of the tongue. Anyway, I'll be going now…"

"Hey, wait one darn minute before you go!"

Hermione turned slowly around and Draco waved a book in front of her nose.

"I think this is yours?"

Hermione took the _Lord of the Rings _book from him with shaking fingers. "My precious…"

"Oh, I'm touched."

"Not you, beanbrain."

"That's just wrong, cooing over a book instead of _me."_

"You are the most conceited person I have ever had the misfortune to meet."

"Ouch, harsh words."

"Goodbye, Malfoy." Hermione concluded before swiftly turning away.

Draco shook his head, grinning, the old challenge in his eyes.

"Don't even try it. I have a first period Ancient Runes class and I am NOT skiving."

"Why not? It'll be fun. Come on…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Surprisingly for Draco, he lost. Hermione had smirked at him before prancing away (making sure her hair smacked him right in the face). With a sigh, Draco had followed, and was currently stuck in first-period Defense Against the Dark Arts. The class had become decidedly lackluster since the events in the past week, but to her credit, the professor was still doing very well.

"Draco Malfoy?"

He jumped, coming out of a pleasant daydream. The classroom was empty, and Professor Greenleaf was staring down at him, a single eyebrow raised.

"What's this?" She pulled from under his textbook a scrap of parchment on which he had been absently doodling. "Oh, this is certainly cute…"

Draco, for the first time, looked at his masterpiece and screeched in horror.

Scrawled (in the round, curlicue handwriting his mother had forced him to learn when he was seven) across the Snitch he had drawn was the word Hermione.

Absolutely red-faced, Draco made a grab for the parchment, but the teacher swept it away instantly.

"Not so fast…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry opened the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom door to a scene of pandemonium.

Draco Malfoy, his arch-nemesis, was beet-red as he jumped up and down, attempting to grab at a piece of parchment a casually yawning Professor Greenleaf was levitating as she sat atop her desk. She made the scrap bounce up and down teasingly out of Draco's reach.

Harry allowed himself to enjoy the scene immensely for a minute before calling out, "Professor?"

Professor Greenleaf looked up in surprise. "Harry!"

She pointed her wand at Draco's pocket, and the parchment zoomed into it. "Off you go, Malfoy."

Draco quickly scurried out, his face losing none of its redness.

"What brings you here?" Professor Greenleaf asked, jumping down from her table. "Make it a bit snappy though—my next class is in five minutes."

"I've a free period now, and I thought I'd see how you're holding up," Harry said, taking a chair in the front row.

The professor played thoughtfully with a yellow-white flower in her hand. "Well, I've talked with Professor Dumbledore. And…well, I've had a great time teaching you."

Harry was surprised. "You're not coming back?"

She smiled. "You're an observant boy, Harry, and I think you've seen what my classes are like now. You know what the parents are like too—especially in these dangerous times. Besides, it's a good time for me to come to terms about Sirius." She stared down at the flower.

"Where are you going to go?"

"Oh, I won't be far away." She beamed. "Professor Dumbledore has given me a rather excellent mission for the Order of the Phoenix. It'll be a joy working with Remus again."

"That's…great."

They both glanced at the door.

"Well…I better go, Professor."

She waved. "See you, Harry."

xxxxxxxxxx

The end of yet another year was approaching. War was now very much upon them (Voldemort was very much in the open, and had already committed some very grave murders). Hogwarts was as it had not been in many long years—children being withdrawn at an alarming rate, Aurors being posted on every square inch of the castle grounds, and tensions high.

Draco was sitting in the Astronomy Tower, his face hard.

Hermione opened the door a crack and peeked at him. It seemed like such a long time ago that they were fighting and yelling and teasing each other mercilessly, now that things had become so serious.

Draco looked up, and a brief smile crossed his face.

"So, I heard about your nice, cushy new job," she said as she entered the room.

Draco and Hermione were no longer bodyguarding Harry. Harry had done well over the year, and Dumbledore had deemed the tailing no longer necessary.

"Yeah." Draco studied his sleeve intently, his gray eyes darkening.

"Well…best of luck then. It's going to be a dangerous world out there."

"I'll do what I have to."

He turned and stared out the window. Suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist, and he whirled.

In a swift motion, Hermione Granger's lips were upon his, and her arms snaking around his neck. Upon recovering from the initial shock, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer.

When they parted, she was smiling. "One for the road."

XXXXX

A/N: If you've noticed, I've put some HBP references in. Nothing too obvious or spoilery, though.

This is NOT yet the last chapter. There'll still be another after this, and don't worry, it won't take long because I'm already writing it. :)

As always, I thank God for His sustenance through everything that's been going on in the world.

To my reviewers:

**American Deer Hunter 73, pluto, sarklover826, God'sGirl88, Swtndreamypnay, Sacagawea**- Thanks:)

**Natyslacks**- Thanks:) And don't worry, I haven't abandoned this fic just yet

**Rose**- Oh, no problem—I hope you had fun! Where'd you vacation? Yeah, HBP was great:)

**Snowmouse**- Oh, I'm sorry if it was :D Basically, Draco and Hermione are talking about why he joined the good side. And Harry likes Ginny, but he's just way too stupid to see it… :))

**Adriane1**- Wow, thanks! Sure, I'd love to e-mail you too! My email address is jianhaozaizaixc at yahoo. And thanks for the heads-up about Avadne—I was really worried that my story was starting to suck or something. :)

**Steelo**- Hmmm, that's a very interesting idea… Thanks:)

**Goodybad**- Ooh! Don't worry, I'm sure you and your coauthor will be able to find the perfect medium. :) Thanks:hugs you right back:

Next: Well, I'll keep mum on this one. I mean, we don't know what's going to happen to our pretty pair as Draco sets off on his dangerous…whatever.

God bless, all!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Sorry guys—I know this took way longer than expected. It's finals week, you see…

Epilogue

_Two years later…_

"'Mione! Over here!"

Hermione smiled.

Ron was waving at her from a table in the corner of The Three Broomsticks, his bright orange sleeve flapping enthusiastically. He rose as she reached the table and held his arms out. "Do I get a hug?"

Hermione threw her arms around him. "Of course you do!" She kissed him on the cheek as he put her back down from the bear hug he'd swept her into. They both sat, and Ron pushed a tall glass towards her.

"A butterbeer and firewhisky with a dash of cinnamon. Just the way you like it." He himself already had a half-empty glass of firewhisky, which he picked up and sipped.

Hermione's face lit up as she pounced upon her favorite drink.

"So, how was work today?" he asked.

Hermione beamed. "Been very busy at the Ministry. Mounds of paperwork! And then there was Lenny…"

"Again? How many times have you apprehended that lousy Lethifold?"

"Well, it's more of the boys at the department doing the apprehension…I'm more of the brains behind the operation." Hermione replied happily.

Ron shook his head. "Only you, Hermione, could be so happy about a rogue Lethifold."

"It gives me stuff to do. So, how was practice, Ron?"

"Great! We're playing the Magpies next week—I'll get you guys tickets. Dean's doing good for his first week on the team—I didn't know he could play Chaser that well! And we just got news that our manager's…" Ron went into another long story.

Hermione smiled and nodded as she twirled the umbrella in her drink.

"…and then I tried that thing from fifth year—you know, hanging off my broom one-handed?—and blam! Wasn't a fluke this time!" Ron smoothed his flaming hair. "Tell me I'm not the world's greatest Keeper, 'Mione."

"OK—you're not." Hermione laughed at the expression on his face. "I don't want your head to swell too much. Where's Harry, by the way?"

"He's at King's Cross, picking up Ginny." Ron looked a bit disgruntled.

"Oh, so The-Boy-Who-Was-Gutless is finally taking action?" Hermione was amused. Even though Harry had liked the seventh Weasley child for years already, he'd never been able to do anything about it.

"Watch it—that's my baby sister."

"I heard that," came a new female voice. "Don't you dare, Ronald."

"Hi Ginny." Hermione gave her dear friend a hug. "How've you been? And hi, Harry!"

Harry, who had been holding Ginny's hand, released it, his face a bit flushed, patted Hermione on the back as a hello, and went to sit next to Ron, who immediately started lecturing Harry on what he could and couldn't do with Ginny.

"Very well," Ginny replied. She cocked her head in Harry's direction and grinned. "How could I not be?"

"I'm so happy for you, Gin."

They both sat as a bored-looking Harry signaled for a glass of oak-matured mead and a butterbeer.

"That's right—no hard drinking for you, Gin," Ron said in a satisfied voice. "Good Harry."

Ginny looked peeved. "_Ron_!"

"Ron, she's of age, and she is not a child," Hermione said patronizingly.

"She's my sister, and therefore a precious jewel," Ron replied.

"Thanks for the precious-jewel comment, but I would like to remind you that I can take care of myself," Ginny shot back.

While Ron and Ginny bickered, Hermione turned to Harry. "How was Lenny?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his face (upon removing his glasses). "Horrible. We weren't sure which one was Lenny, so we had to keep attacking each other's cloaks." He gave a martyred sigh as he accepted his drink from Madam Rosmerta. "Honestly, why don't they just outlaw black cloaks and make everyone wear Day-Glo?" He stared briefly into the golden depths of his mead before taking a swig. "So…he's not here yet, then?"

"Yes he is."

Hermione's fiancé was striding towards them, his black robes billowing behind him. A smile danced upon his smooth, refined features.

"Hello dear," he said, bending down to capture Hermione's lips in a brief kiss before seating himself beside her and signaling for a firewhisky.

Ron and Harry cringed. The couple had been at it for years, but it didn't make it easier for them to bear.

"Hello Draco," Ginny said evenly as she uncorked her butterbeer.

"Evening, Ginny." He acknowledged her with a nod, and smirked as his gray eyes fell on the other two boys. "Potty and Weasel. How nice to see you. Chaperoning tonight?"

"_Draco,"_ Hermione groused with a sigh. Some things never changed.

Ron glowered as he downed his firewhisky. Harry simply smirked right back.

"At least I didn't scream '_Get it off! Get it off_!' like a sissy girl and think my cloak was a Lethifold."

Hermione gave up. Turning to Ginny, they began discussing the menu.

xxxxxxxxxx

All in all, it was a very normal dinner. Hermione and Ginny played referee a considerable number of times to more or less the usual stuff like preventing Ron from dumping his soup over Draco's head, stopping Harry from charming Draco's cloak into sliding over his head and making him shriek (indeed very much like girl) loudly enough for the whole restaurant to hear, and chastising Draco for pouring hot sauce into Ron's and Harry's drinks. The evening ended on a rather comical note, with a drunk Ron falling face first into his chocolate gateau.

Harry tsk-tsked as he drew up his best friend from the depths of his dessert. "Why don't you…and you go on, Hermione? Gin and I better bring him home."

"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione looked worriedly at Ron.

"When it gives him the chance to snog Miss Weasley without interruption, of course he's sure," Draco drawled.

Harry sighed and shook his head. Draco sometimes got his point way too easily and it bugged him so. "Yeah, and I'm sure you don't just want to have Hermione to yourself for that reason."

"Potty, I can snog her just as easily in front of you."

Hermione and Ginny sighed. "Boys, enough."

They each grabbed their respective love interest's hand and went their separate ways: Ginny and Harry outside to Apparate Ron back home and Hermione and Draco to get the bill.

Draco counted out the Galleons, plunked them upon the table, and waggled his eyebrows at his wife-to-be. "What do say to a little adventure?"

"Draco—"

"Come on!"

Hermione allowed herself to be dragged outside, bemused and curious as to what Draco had in mind. In the years they been together, he had never failed to surprise her—even though one of those surprises had involved a loose Acromantula and a Harry covered in webs.

They got onto Draco's old Nimbus Two-Thousand-and-Five, and zoomed off.

When their destination came into view, Hermione was quite surprised indeed.

"_Hogwarts?_ I was expecting Paris!"

"Why not our dear school?" Draco landed before the gates and disembarked. "After all, here was where it all began."

As he reached up to knock, a sleeve—his left sleeve—fell back, revealed the rendition of an ugly skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

The Dark Mark.

Draco looked down upon it, his face hardening. Hermione felt tears come to her eyes as she looked upon the castle which had for so long been her home. It still stood strong and tall, but it bore the scars of the War. The way Draco did.

"It's never going to come off, is it?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "No. Never." The he gave her a lopsided smile. "Guess I should've just brought you to Paris."

"No…this is good." Resolutely she pulled his sleeve back down.

A loud clicking sound suddenly interrupted them.

"Not again." Draco muttered.

Hardly daring to look, Draco and Hermione turned slowly.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!"

A spider the size of a small house was right behind them. Quickly, they got back on the Nimbus and zoomed as high up as they could go.

"I take it back, Draco," Hermione gasped. "Next time, take me to Paris!"

THE END

A/N: Well…this is it. The end.

First off, I would like to thank GOD once again, for giving me everything I needed to accomplish this fic—this and everything else in my life.

Also, to my best friend **Pannikittypiggyphant, **who as always, continues to put up with me. Wherever you are, Pig, you are always in my heart…awww. :))

To my friends GUI, Reba, Teabag, Xima, and Abbie for the inspiration, advice, support, and funnies.

And of course, to every single one of my reviewers, thanks so much. I really appreciate that you guys took the time to read and review this little tale. Thanks for the helping me. :)

To the musicals, books, movies, and TV dramas that have inspired me: Thanks too!

For those who have read Don't Go Breaking My Heart, this is the moment you've all been waiting for: Yes, the sequel is next!

"_Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."—Psalm 118: 29_


End file.
